• 8 months ago
Outlook speaks with Iltija Mufti, who is media advisor to her mother and the People's Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti. Mehbooba Mufti is party's candidate for South Kashmir's Rajouri-Anantnag Lok Sabha seat. Iltija Mufti accompanies Mehbooba in her electoral campaigns.

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Transcript
00:00 Yesterday, during the campaign, Mahbubaji said that people should vote.
00:05 Are you worried about the people will not come out to vote?
00:08 I mean, there is a slight apprehension, but I don't think that will happen because for
00:12 the past five years, they realized that there's been an onslaught on their identity.
00:16 And there's a deliberate campaign and decisions taken by the central government to disempower
00:21 and dispossess them.
00:22 So there is a consciousness amongst the people of Jammu and Kashmir that their vote will
00:26 carry a lot of weight and it will determine a lot of things for the people of Jammu and
00:30 Kashmir for the next five years.
00:32 Why this election is very important?
00:34 It is very important because this is the first election after the abrogation of Article 370.
00:41 And I feel that our voices must be heard because you see the kind of discourse that has been
00:45 in the parliament even for the past five years.
00:47 Nobody talks about Jammu and Kashmir.
00:49 Nobody talks about the fact that Jammu Kashmir is the only state which is demoted from the
00:53 status of a state to a UT.
00:55 And this was a state which had a semi-autonomous status, a special status with residual powers,
01:01 its own constitution, its own flag.
01:04 And the people here have been suppressed for the past five years.
01:06 So they have to speak up through their vote.
01:08 So their vote is their strength.
01:11 Yesterday also, BDB president said that she has an apprehension that some people are sabotaging
01:18 or of a people should not come out.
01:22 What kind of apprehensions do you have?
01:24 Naseem, you know that in the past two weeks, we've witnessed two targeted killings and
01:29 that's very strange.
01:30 That's extremely strange more so because the local administration here and the government
01:34 of India keeps chest thumping about how they've established a sense of normalcy.
01:39 So why is it that in the past two weeks, there's been a targeted killing in Pulwama?
01:43 There was a targeted killing in Bijbehara the other day.
01:46 So it seems slightly orchestrated and there's definitely something very fishy about it.
01:51 And her apprehension stems from the fact that this could be a concerted move to ensure that
01:55 there's a low turnout.
01:56 Are you facing any difficulties in campaign?
02:00 I have to be very honest with you.
02:02 When I go and I have these interactive meetings, the administration is quite cooperative, but
02:07 I am told that the meetings that I have with the workers, they are threatened.
02:11 A night before I come, they are told things like, "We'll snatch your ration cards if you
02:15 go and attend her meeting."
02:16 So there is a sense of fear and intimidation and I don't know where those orders are coming
02:21 from.
02:22 You have been talking to people.
02:23 What are the apprehensions and expectations of the people?
02:25 To be quite honest, the people of Jammu and Kashmir are very disillusioned right now.
02:30 They are hurting and there's a lot of despair here.
02:34 And I have to be honest with you, there's no love lost for politicians.
02:37 They almost paint every politician with the same brush.
02:41 So when you speak to them, you have to talk about things that give them a sense of hope.
02:45 And that's what I've been trying to do.
02:47 Thanks Prakash.
02:48 Thank you.

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