PDP leader Iltija Mufti booked for sharing separatist Syed Ali Geelani’s video on importance of Urdu

Peoples Democratic Party leader Iltija Mufti was booked on Thursday for sharing allegedly secessionist content on social media, the Deccan Herald reported.

This came a day after Iltija Mufti, daughter of former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, shared an old video of separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani discussing the importance of the Urdu language.

In her post, Iltija Mufti said that while she “may not concur” with Geelani’s ideology, she agreed with his remarks in the undated video.

In the video, Geelani can be heard saying that a substantial body of Islamic religious literature “across India, Pakistan, and Jammu and Kashmir” has been preserved in Urdu.

He also alleged that efforts were underway to undermine this linguistic heritage, with the help of “people imposed on us”. Geelani died in September 2021.

On Thursday, the Jammu and Kashmir Police filed a case against Iltija Mufti at Srinagar’s Cyber Police Station under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita pertaining to endangering the sovereignty of India, promoting enmity and making statements conducive to public mischief.

“Preliminary inquiry indicates that the circulation of such content is a deliberate attempt to propagate separatist and secessionist narrative through digital platforms,” the Deccan Herald quoted an unidentified police officer as saying,

“Such activities have the potential to incite public disaffection, disturb public order and undermine national integration,” the officer...

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