india

Updated: Sep 20, 2019 16:33 IST

The Twitter account of former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir that went silent on August 5 when she was detained following the scrapping of the state’s special status, suddenly sprung back to like on Friday when the PDP leader’s daughter Iltija announced that she would be handling the account

“Ms Mehbooba Mufti, former Chief Minister of J&K to whom this twitter handle belongs has been detained since 5th August 2019 without access to the account. This handle is now operated by myself, Iltija daughter of Ms Mufti with due authorization,” the elder of Mehbooba Mufti’s two daughters wrote.

In her first tweet after the announcement, Iltija said that she had written to high-ranking officials seeking information regarding her mother but was waiting for a response two days later. “I, Iltija emailed the Home Secretary of GOI & Home Secretary of J&K on 18th September seeking certain information for my mother, Ms Mufti. I am still awaiting a response,” tweeted Iltija, who recently met her mother after the Supreme Court allowed her to do so.

In the letter, written on September 18 from Chennai that she shared on the social media handle, Iltija complained that her mother has not been allowed to meet anyone apart from close family members and had no access to media. Reiterating that she was not a political person and had no affiliations, Iltija listed the concerns her mother had expressed to her. Among the information sought by Mehbooba Mufti was details of all those detained and their current status. She also sought details of minors and women among those detained.

Mehbooba Mufti, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah and many political leaders and separatists have been in detention since August 5 when the Centre announced its move to scrap Article 370 in the state and divided it into two union territories. This was accompanied by a complete communication lockdown. The restrictions have since been eased but attendance in schools and offices is very low and markets continue to remain shut.

A slew of petitions, by politicians, lawyers and NGOs are being heard being heard in the Supreme Court with the larger issue of the validity of scrapping Article 370 being heard by a Constitution bench. Earlier this month, CPM leader Sitaram Yechury and a law student were allowed to visit the Valley and were told to file a report on their return, which they did.

This week Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad was also allowed to visit the Valley. He had been earlier sent back from Srinagar airport and from Jammu a couple of times by the state administration.