"I urge CM Omar Adbullah, Speaker of J-K Assembly to honour members' bills": Mehbooba Mufti

Pulwama (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], February 23 : People's Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Speaker of the Assembly to support members' bills on regularisation of daily wagers, land rights and ban on alcohol in Kashmir.
She emphasised that the Speaker's role is to safeguard members' rights, not to censor them. The bills are set to be tabled in the upcoming budget session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, which begins on March 3.
"I urge CM Omar Adbullah and the Speaker of the Assembly to honor members' bills and not threaten them to prevent them from speaking on these bills...," said the PDP chief.
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti is pushing for significant changes in Jammu and Kashmir, introducing three private member bills in the assembly.
The first bill aims to regularize daily wagers, providing them with job security and stability. The second bill addresses land rights for individuals who have been residing on government land for decades, offering them a sense of ownership and permanence.
The third bill, however, has sparked particular interest, as it proposes a ban on alcohol in Kashmir. Mufti argues that this is necessary due to the region's Muslim-majority population and the devastating impact of addiction on its youth. This move is also part of the PDP's signature campaign, which was launched by Mufti's daughter Iltija Mufti.
"We brought 3 bills (private member bill) in the assembly. The first concerned regulations for daily wagers who have waited for at least 25 years. The second addressed land rights for those residing on government land for decades. The third concerned a ban on alcohol in Kashmir, given its Muslim-majority population and the destructive effects of addiction on its youth," Mufti said.
She further pointed out that despite Abdullah's substantial majority in the states, he had refrained from discussing key topics like Article 370 or the demand for statehood.
"Omar Abdullah has 50 MLAs and 3 parliamentary members, but he has refused to discuss big issues like Article 370 or statehood, and our youths are in jail," she stated.
In her statement, the Mufti reiterated her request that Abdullah engage in meaningful dialogue and address these crucial issues.
Meanwhile, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Central Kashmir, Rajiv Pandey, and DIG CRPF Ops North Range Srinagar, Sudhir Kumar, reviewed the joint operational competence of Special Operations Group (SOG) Ganderbal and CRPF on Saturday, a release stated.
SSP Ganderbal Ragav S and other senior police and CRPF officers were also present on the occasion.
The Jawans of SOG Ganderbal and CRPF had undergone rigorous training and simulations to enhance their operational abilities and their overall competence was reviewed during this visit.