Mehbooba Mufti: A Career Stained by Controversies and Corruption Allegations

 

Mehbooba Mufti is the current president of the People's Democratic Party and the former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. She has been one of the most powerful faces in the political scenario of the state for long.

 

However, her tenure and politically motivated actions have been mired with controversies and decisions that arguably did more harm than good to the state she claimed to represent.

 

As she gets ready for the 2024 Vidhan Sabha polls, it is contextual to take a closer look at her political career, which has been mired with questionable decisions, alleged misdeeds, and a series of actions that went on to fuel instability and discontent in Jammu and Kashmir.

 

 

One of the most controversial decisions taken during Mehbooba Mufti's leadership was how she handled the 2016 unrest that had erupted after Burhan Wani's killing, a militant commander.

 

The aftermath was one of the most violent uprisings the Valley had witnessed in years, with widespread violence, curfews, and huge loss of life. During her term of office, thousands of injuries, including cases of blindness of young protestors, were caused by pellet guns used by security forces.

 

 

Instead of redressing the legitimate grievances of the youth, Mehbooba Mufti's response was marked by a notorious remark where she suggested those who protested did so at their own risk, seeking "toffee and milk" instead of safety and stability.

 

This comment mooted a lot of criticism and came across as insensitive, reflecting the deep schism that existed between her administration and the people of Kashmir. Other than antagonising the youth, these remarks had already sown seeds of discontentment, fuelling unrest and distrust amongst the population.

 

The "toffee and milk" comment typified the inability of her administration to understand, much less engage with the aspirations of the people, further inflaming anger and resentment in the region.

 

 

Mehbooba Mufti's tenure has also been dogged by allegations of corruption and nepotism. These allegations not only maligned her image but also raised serious questions over her leadership and governance.

 

It was accused that her administration favoured close associates and family members in government appointments and contracts, due to which there was widespread resentment, and a perception got built that it was an administration more concerned with consolidating power than serving people.

 

Added to this were the frequent run-ins of that party with central investigative agencies, particularly ED. Mehbooba has been interrogated a number of times over money laundering cases; although she has termed these politically motivated, it is just too palpable that mere existence of such charges would cast a long shadow on her political career.

 

Her defence that she is being targeted for her political stance does little to touch on the real issues: questions over transparency and accountability during her time in office.

 

 

In what looks like a last-ditch bid to regain relevance in politics and re-unite opposition against the BJP once again, Mehbooba Mufti made a surprise outreach to the Congress party and National Conference to contest elections jointly.

 

While this move could be interpreted as strategic on her part, it has attracted sceptics and criticism alike. The reason for this challenge also includes that Congress and the National Conference have been her political rivals all these years, and their ideologies and visions about Jammu and Kashmir are totally different from those of the PDP.

 

This overnight alliance pretty much questions her commitment drawn within the party's principles and values, whether this really was some desperate publicity stunt to be politically relevant again.

 

This alliance may further weaken the PDP's identity because it would dilute ideological distinctions between parties and cut off the core constituency of the party. Hence, by doing so, this just adds another challenge to an already complex and fragmented political scenario in Jammu and Kashmir regarding its identity, governance, and development-related issues.

 

Contrasted with the inscription of one vision and a coherent view of the future of the region, this alliance more resembles a short-term tactic aimed at electoral gains rather than a genuine effort to address the long-term needs and aspirations of the people.

 

 

Abrogation of Article 370 by the Centre in August 2019 was a historic moment for Jammu and Kashmir, the timing of which Mehbooba Mufti responded to. The timing of her response has been another point of contention.

 

Though she opposed it most vocally, warning about dire consequences, it was not matched by any effective mobilisation of opposition to it—a failure of leadership seen. The PDP, once a formidable force in the area, has been too out of sorts to find relevance in the post-Article 370 policy.

 

Much of Mufti's rhetoric since abrogation has been incendiary and unhelpful. Her calls for the return of Jammu and Kashmir's special status do appeal to some sections of the population, but they have little to do with solving the more pressing problems of unemployment, development, and security in the region.

 

In contrast to a forward-looking agenda, Mehbooba Mufti indulged in backward-looking rhetoric, which fueled even more uncertainty and division in Jammu and Kashmir.

 

 

Mehbooba Mufti has also faced criticism for her own actions and the actions taken against her by the state. She claimed that her frequent house arrests and restrictions on movement were attempts to suppress dissent.

 

Her critics, however, argue that these actions were outcomes of her own failures in governance and keeping order in the region. It has further undermined her credibility as a leader because of her general tendency to play the victim card whenever legitimate criticism is brought against her.

 

With preparations underway for the forthcoming Vidhan Sabha elections, Mehbooba Mufti's career graph has reached an absolutely critical junction. Indeed, controversial remarks, corruption cases, and questionable political alignments are some of those core reasons that lie behind her tattered political life.

 

Though she still projects herself as the champion of Kashmiri rights, her term in office has been marred by many instances of putting one's own political survival above the interests of the people.

 

The pertinent question on the struggle to find a foothold again would be whether Mehbooba Mufti is the leader Jammu and Kashmir needs in these times of adversity—probably not, as time has absolutely gone by her side in the political limelight.

 

 

Mehbooba Mufti's legacy is one of lost opportunity and broken promises. Her decisions, some of which have been guided partly by political opportunism rather than principle, have had a deep, lasting impact on Jammu and Kashmir.

 

While she negotiates her way through the complexities of state politics, it remains to be seen whether she will manage to regain lost confidence among the masses or whether her actions from the past will haunt her forever.