She also remarked that no one can force anybody to love or hate a leader by holding a gun to their head or through any other kind of coercion.

SRINAGAR — Mehbooba Mufti, former chief minister of erstwhile J-K state and the president of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Monday stated that the way authorities handled the situation after the demise of the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (TeH) leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani was uncalled for.

While talking to reporter here, the PDP leader said that while one can fight with a living person, indifference to the dead body’s honorable burial was not a symbol of a democracy.

Saddened by the news of Geelani sahab’s passing away. We may not have agreed on most things but I respect him for his steadfastness & standing by his beliefs. May Allah Ta’aala grant him jannat & condolences to his family & well wishers.

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) September 1, 2021

Mehbooba stated that the videos and news reports showed that the people of Jammu and Kashmir were extremely dissatisfied.

“You may disagree with a person while he is alive,” she continued, “but once he is dead, you must respect the remains like that of others.”

In response to a question regarding the charges of J-K Police against Geelani’s family for raising slogans and covering his body with the Pakistani flag, she stated that India is the world’s most democratic country, and that these concerns were minor.

She said that the government should have allowed the family to conduct Geelani’s last rites according to his desires.

The ease with which GOI imposes a complete siege including a communications blackout in Kashmir everytime it anticipates a reaction from people is distressing & deeply insensitive.

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) September 4, 2021

Mehbooba Mufti said that while she disagreed with Geelani, the dead corpse should not be treated with indifference, stating that whatever was witnessed was against humanity.

Everyone’s deathbed wishes must be honored, she expressed and added that the incident happened in violation of India’s cultural identity.

She also stated that no one can compel anybody to love or detest a leader by holding a pistol to their head or use any other form of force.

On Sunday, the PDP president said that Kashmir has been turned into an open-air jail, where even the dead are no longer safe.

Instead of reaching out, every successive policy is undertaken to humiliate & collectively punish J&K. These punitive actions compound this sense of betrayal and rage.

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) September 4, 2021

The leader, while referring to Geelani’s family, said that a family is not let to mourn and say their final goodbyes as they desire.

Having turned Kashmir into an open air prison, now even the dead aren’t spared.A family isn’t allowed to mourn & bid a final farewell as per their wishes. Booking Geelani sahab’s family under UAPA shows GOI’s deep rooted paranoia & ruthlessness.This is New India’s Naya Kashmir.

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) September 5, 2021

Booking Geelani sahab’s family under the UAPA, as per her, demonstrates the Government of India’s paranoia and brutality. “This is the Naya Kashmir of New India,” she had tweeted.