Mehbooba beats hasty retreat from women’s UMEED conclave at SKICC

Srinagar/May,15: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was forced to leave a women’s self-help group (SHG) function here Tuesday when the crowd shouted slogans against her and even flung chairs in the air. Meanwhile former chief minister and National Conference working president Omar Abdullah took to Twitter and retweeted a post of his party spokesperson Junaid Azim Mattoo.“Women storm out of @MehboobaMufti’s event at SKICC and raise Azaadi slogans. Say they were coerced to attend the function. Wake up @JKPDP,” Mattoo had tweeted.
Eye witness said Mehbooba, who was hastily escorted out of the venue by her security, sought to downplay the incident and told reporters that her government was trying to help the women and she would continue her efforts in this regard.
The chaos had begun early in the morning when some of the women — mostly from south Kashmir which has seen an upsurge in violence since July last year — raised ‘azaadi’ slogans outside the SKICC convention centre where the event was being held.
The women were whisked away before the chief guest arrived but that was not the end of the trouble. The anger was evident when Mehbooba reached the venue where thousands of women from various self-help groups had gathered, an official said. The function had been organised by the Rural Development Department.
The programme began with the religious ritual “naath”. Soon after, a group of women at the back of the hall got up and started shouting slogans against the chief minister. A few chairs were also flung in the air, leading to chaos.
According to eyewitnesses, rumours of an earthquake started as soon as the unruly scenes began. This led to panic with many participants running towards the exit.
The chief minister was rushed out by her security staff and the function was postponed for sometime. It continued later, but without Mehbooba.
Security agencies had warned the organisers that trouble was brewing and that the chief minister should stay away, an official said.
Later on, the chief minister said that the chaos descended probably after a lady fainted.  “Women were present in large numbers and probably a lady fainted. She didn’t get water and others panicked. Hope this programme is organized again because it is an important event,” she told reporters.
However, Opposition leaders were quick to criticize the ruling party and the chief minister. Former chief minister and National Conference working president Omar Abdullah took to Twitter and retweeted a post of his party spokesperson Junaid Azim Mattoo.
“Women storm out of @MehboobaMufti’s event at SKICC and raise Azaadi slogans. Say they were coerced to attend the function. Wake up @JKPDP,” Mattoo had tweeted.
Women storm out of @MehboobaMufti’s event at SKICC and raise Azaadi slogans. Say they were coerced to attend the function. Wake up @jkpdp! pic.twitter.com/szuJKUtZuO
— Junaid Azim Mattu (@Junaid_Mattu) May 16, 2017
Omar retweeted the post and wrote, “This is what happens when the machinery of Govt is used for the sole purpose of rebuilding @MehboobaMufti’s non-existing credibility.”
This is what happens when the machinery of Govt is used for the sole purpose of rebuilding @MehboobaMufti’s non-existing credibility. https://t.co/KGsxSAYaPC
— Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) May 16, 2017