‘Resign or face expulsion’: Mehbooba Mufti sends message to PDP MPs

Mumbai: Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday asked two Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members in Parliament to resign from the Rajya Sabha.

The Peoples Democratic Party, which was in alliance with the BJP till the latter withdrew support in June 2018, has two members in the Upper House – Mir Fayaz and Nazir Ahmed Laway.

Soon after the government introduced the move in Rajya Sabha, Fayaz along with Nazir Ahmad Laway tore copies of the Constitution, in an apparent display of anger against the government deciding to scrap Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. However, the PDP members were physically removed from the Rajya Sabha.

The two members could neither participate in the debate on the resolution and the Jammu and Kashmir reorganisation bill, nor could they vote on them.

When Amit Shah had tabled the Bill to bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories last Monday, M M Fayaz had torn his kurta.

Fayaz said they were considering resigning but wanted to get in touch with the PDP leadership. “We have not been able to speak to anybody because communication lines are down. We will have a discussion and take a call,” he said.

According to reports, while she was being shifted from her home to a guest house where she is under arrest, she passed a message saying resign or face expulsion.

Amidst the tension in the Valley, PDP president Mehbooba continued to be under detention for the fourth day.

The PDP chief, along with National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, was arrested hours after the government scrapped the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir.

Before being detained, both Mufi and Abdullah had condemned the government’s move, warning the decision will have “far-reaching and dangerous consequences”. Mufti called it the betrayal of the people’s trust while Abdullah said the government’s decision was “unilateral and shocking”.