Srinagar,November 24,,2025 : The PDP’s women wing was prevented on Monday from holding a planned protest in Srinagar against the proposed hike in power tariffs across Jammu & Kashmir. Officials said police did not allow the party’s women activists to move out of the PDP headquarters near Sher-e-Kashmir Municipal Park, effectively stopping the demonstration before it began.
Police Restriction Sparks Political Outcry
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti criticised the action, saying peaceful dissent was being silenced under the guise of maintaining law and order.
In a post on X, she wrote that stopping a peaceful protest over rising power tariffs reflects a broader pattern of curbing democratic rights since 2019.
She added that suppressing even the “most peaceful voices” sends a disturbing message that people’s concerns no longer matter and that speaking out now carries an unfair cost.
“Kashmiris Being Pushed to the Wall”
Mufti further said that:
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The continued silencing of public voices is fostering a sense of collective punishment
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Kashmiris are being denied even the basic democratic right to be heard
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Such measures leave deep social and psychological wounds on the community
The PDP’s women wing had intended to protest during peak consumption hours to highlight what the party says will be an unjust burden on households if the proposed tariff hike is implemented.
The police have not yet issued a detailed statement on the decision to restrict the protest.
