Denied permission to visit grandfather's grave: Iltija Mufti

Srinagar: Iltija Mufti, daughter of former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, here on Saturday, said she was denied permission to visit the grave of her grandfather former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed at Bijbehara in the Anantnag district of South Kashmir.

Speaking to IANS, Iltija Mufti said she had sought permission four days ago. "I have been told it's a red zone, so I can't visit Bijbehara," she said.

"This smacks of double standards. While the top leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is allowed to go anywhere in Kashmir, I have been barred," she said.

While other SSG-protected persons, including two former Chief Ministers, were allowed to visit Gulmarg, security problems arose when she sought permission to visit the area. "I am being punished for speaking against the Centre's actions in J&K," she said.

She claimed it was not the first time that she had been denied permission to visit her grandfather's grave. "I wanted to go there in January, but was denied the permission," she said.