Jammu and Kashmir admin's actions indicate Supreme Court verdict on Article 370 might be against country's interest: Mehbooba

Srinagar:People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said the actions of the Jammu and Kashmir adminstration hint towards the Supreme Court passing a verdict on petitions related to Article 370 of the Constitution that might be against the interest of the country.

"Since Friday night, we are witnessing that lists containing the names of the workers of different parties, especially the PDP, are being prepared by police and it seems that such a decision is to come which is not in favour of this country and Jammu and Kashmir, but only to further the BJP's agenda and hence, some precautionary measures are being taken, which is unfortunate," Mufti told reporters in Anantnag.

She asserted that it is the apex court's responsibility to ensure that it does not push the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) agenda, but keeps the integrity of the country and its Constitution intact.

Mufti said the court verdict should be clear that the decision taken by the BJP-led Centre on August 5, 2019 to abrogate the provisions of Article 370 was "illegal, unconstitutional", against Jammu and Kashmir and the promises made to the people here.

"First, the Supreme Court took a lot of time to hear the cases. It took five years. Then the Supreme Court itself in its previous judgments has said no one can abrogate Article 370 barring the constituent Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir.

"So I think the decision should be simple that whatever was done on August 5, 2019 was illegal, unconstitutional, against Jammu and Kashmir and the promises made to the people here," she said.

Earlier, addressing the party workers, Mufti said police have become active and are planning to detain those associated with the PDP. She said this has created a doubt whether there was a "fixed match".

"You want to keep the Indian Constitution and democracy alive or the BJP's agenda -- you have to decide this. But I am seeing that police have become active since Friday night. They are making lists so that people are detained before the decision. This creates a doubt if there is a fixed match," she said.

The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said the Constitution of the country is more important and sacred than the BJP's agenda.

"I want to tell the Supreme Court judges that governments will come and go, but the Constitution and the belief shown by the people of Jammu and Kashmir in this country in 1947 is more important and sacred than the BJP's agenda," she said.

Reacting to Mufti's remarks, Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Ravinder Raina said there should be no politics over the Supreme Court or its judgment on the Article 370 petitions.

"There should be no politics over the Supreme Court or its judgments as it is regarded as contempt of court. The courts of the country are supreme and there is nothing higher than that. I am sure that Jammu and Kashmir and all the 140 crore people of the country will respect the decision by heart and accept it," he told reporters here.