Srinagar, July 11 (KNS): The People's Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday strongly condemned the detention of its youth leader, Zuhaib Yousf Mir, for allegedly participating in a peaceful protest against the proposed opening of a liquor shop at Pantha Chowk, terming it an attack on democratic rights.
Taking to social media platform X, PDP President Mehbooba Mufti said the protest was a legitimate exercise of constitutional freedoms and not a criminal act. "Peaceful protest is a democratic right, not a crime. We demand his immediate release and urge the administration to respect the sentiments of the local people," she said in her post.
The former Chief Minister's remarks were echoed by senior party functionaries, who warned that suppressing dissent through detentions would only alienate the populace. Former PDP State Secretary and constituency in-charge for Habba Kadal, Arif Laigroo, also termed the action "deeply unfortunate" and "against the spirit of democracy.
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"Detaining a political activist for peacefully raising the genuine concerns of the people is deeply unfortunate. Every citizen has the constitutional right to express dissent through peaceful means, and such rights must be protected rather than suppressed," Laigroo said in a statement.
Reiterating the party's stance, the PDP appealed to the administration to uphold democratic values and engage in constructive dialogue with the public rather than resorting to curbs. The party demanded the immediate release of the detained youth leader and urged the administration to respect the sentiments of the local populace.
"The administration should engage constructively with the people instead of resorting to detentions. The voices and sentiments of local residents must be respected," Laigroo added, as the party vowed to continue its opposition to the liquor outlet. (KNS)