Mehbooba Mufti

{{Short description|Chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir from 2016 to 2018}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| office1 = 9th Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir

| native_name =

| image = Mehbooba Mufti addressing a press conference in Srinagar.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Mufti in 2022

| governor1 = Narinder Nath Vohra
Satyapal Malik

| predecessor1 = Mufti Mohammad Sayeed

| successor1 = Governors rule
Omar Abdullah (UT)

| term_start1 = 4 April 2016

| term_end1 = 19 June 2018

| office2 = Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha

| constituency2 = Anantnag

| predecessor2 = Mirza Mehboob Beg

| successor2 = Hasnain Masoodi

| term_start2 = 2014

| term_end2 = 2016

| predecessor3 = Ali Muhammad Naik

| successor3 = Mirza Mehboob Beg

| term_start3 = 16 May 2004

| term_end3 = 16 May 2009

| office = President of Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party

| term_start = January 2009

| office4 = Vice-chair of People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration

| term_start4 = 20 October 2020

| term_end4 = 2024

| predecessor4 = Position established

| 1blankname4 = Chair

| 1namedata4 = Farooq Abdullah

| party = Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1959|5|22|df=y}}

| birth_place = Bijbehara, Jammu and Kashmir, India

| spouse = Javed Iqbal Shah{{cite web|title=Insider tears into Muftis and family party|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/insider-tears-into-muftis-and-family-party/cid/1515167 |website=Telegraph India|date=2 March 2016}}

| children = Iltija Mufti, Irtiqa Mufti

| alma_mater = University of Kashmir

| occupation =

| father = Mufti Mohammad Sayeed

| name = Mehbooba Mufti Sayed

}}

Mehbooba Bur Mufti Sayed (Urdu: محبوبہ مفتی سید; born 22 May 1959) is an Indian politician and leader of the Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party (PDP), who served as the 9th and last chief minister of the erstwhile state Jammu and Kashmir from 4 April 2016 to 19 June 2018. She was the first female chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir. After the revocation of Article 370 of the constitution in August 2019, Mufti was detained without any charges at first and later under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act.{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/mehbooba-mufti-pdp-chashme-shahi-shift-detention-srinagar-article370-1619351-2019-11-15|title=After daughter's appeal, Mehbooba Mufti shifted to warmer location in Srinagar|last1=Haq|first1=Shuja-ul|last2=Wani|first2=Ashraf|date=15 November 2019|website=India Today|access-date=2019-12-23}}

Mufti is the first woman to hold the office of chief minister in the Jammu and Kashmir.{{cite web|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/mehbooba-is-j-k-s-first-woman-cm-and-india-s-16th/story-6ini2soMfHSq2RmPPsqPjO.html|title=Mehbooba is J-K's first woman CM and India's 16th|website=Hindustan Times|date=4 April 2016|access-date=4 April 2016}} She formed a coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir jointly with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). She resigned in June 2018 after the BJP withdrew from the coalition.{{cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/mehbooba-mufti-resigns-dumped-by-bjp-mehbooba-mufti-says-muscular-policy-wont-work-in-kashmir-1870038|title=Dumped By BJP, Mehbooba Mufti Says Muscular Policy Won't Work In Kashmir|publisher=ndtv.com|date=19 June 2018|author=Masoodi, Nazir and Tikku, Aloke }}

Mufti was the president of the PDP and was a member of the Indian parliament, representing Anantnag in the 16th Lok Sabha before she was sworn in as the chief minister of the Jammu and Kashmir. She also represented Anantnag in the 14th Lok Sabha (2004–09){{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/MehboobaMufti/status/1101412019587174400|title=Why is GoI so uncomfortable with Jamaat e Islami?... | date=1 March 2019 | first=Mehbooba | last=Mufti|website=Twitter|access-date=7 June 2019}} and has also been a Leader of Opposition in Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.

Early life

She is the daughter of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Gulshan Ara,[https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/gulshan-ara-hugs-her-daughter-mehbooba-mufti-after-the-oath-ceremony-at-raj-bhawan-in-jammu-on-monday-excelsiorrakesh/excelsior-rakesh-4876/ Gulshan Ara hugs her daughter Mehbooba Mufti after the oath ceremony at Raj Bhawan in Jammu on Monday. -Excelsior/Rakesh – Jammu Kashmir Latest News | Tourism | Breaking News J&K]. Dailyexcelsior.com. Retrieved on 28 August 2019. born in 1959 in Akhran Nowpora, J&K, India. She graduated in English literature from Government College for Women in Jammu,{{Cite web|date=11 April 2016|first=Anil|last=Raina|title=The queen of the valley|url=https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/others/sunday-read/The-queen-of-the-valley/articleshow/51759527.cms|access-date=2020-11-15|website=Mumbai Mirror|language=en}} and has a law degree from the University of Kashmir.[http://myneta.info/ls2014/candidate.php?candidate_id=4146 Mehbooba Mufti (JKPDP):Constituency – Anantnag (Jammu & Kashmir) – Affidavit Information of Candidate]. Myneta.info. Retrieved on 28 August 2019.{{cite news|title=A new face signals political change in embattled Kashmir|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/12/world/a-new-face-signals-political-change-in-embattled-kashmir.html |website=The New York Times|date=2002-10-12|last=Waldman|first=Amy}} Post 1989, she shifted to N. Delhi and joined the Bombay Mercantile Bank, after which she worked with East West Airlines, before moving back to J&K. Her ex-husband is a political analyst, an animal-rights activist, and was briefly with National Conference party. She has two daughters, Iltija and Irtiqa.{{cite web|title=Mehbooba Mufti: Profile, Husband and Family|url=https://ipious.blogspot.in/2016/01/mehbooba-mufti-profile-husband-and.html|website=ipious.blogspot.in}}

Political career

When elections for the state assembly were held in 1996, Mehbooba became one of the most popular members elected from Bijbehara on an Indian National Congress ticket.{{cite web | title=Mehbooba Mufti: Age, Biography, Education, Husband, Caste, Net Worth & More | website=www.oneindia.com | date=2019-08-05 | url=https://www.oneindia.com/politicians/mehbooba-mufti-33427.html | access-date=2021-09-07}} Her father had returned to the Congress, which he had left in 1987, angry at the alliance that party had formed with its traditional rival in the state, the National Conference.{{cite web | title=The life and career of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed | website=India Today | date=2016-01-07 | url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/the-life-and-career-of-mufti-mohammad-sayeed-302599-2016-01-07 | access-date=2021-09-07}} She later served as the leader of the opposition in the assembly, taking on the government of chief minister Farooq Abdullah with asperity.{{cite web | title=Mehbooba Mufti re-elected as PDP's chief unopposed for sixth term in a row | website=The Indian Express | date=2017-12-02 | url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/mehbooba-mufti-peoples-democratic-party-chief-jammu-and-kashmir-4964463/ | access-date=2021-09-07}}

She resigned her assembly seat and went on to contest the parliamentary elections in 1999 from Srinagar, where she lost to incumbent member Omar Abdullah. She won the Pahalgam seat in the state assembly from South Kashmir, defeating Rafi Ahmed Mir, when assembly elections were held again in 2002. She was elected to the Lok Sabha from Anantnag seat in 2004 and 2014. She defeated Mirza Mehboob Beg who was the incumbent MP in 2014 Lok Sabha Elections.

After her father's death in January 2016, when he was heading the coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir, she took forward the same alliance with Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), the second time the BJP and the PDP formed a government in Jammu and Kashmir.[https://web.archive.org/web/20160408003726/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com//india/Mehbooba-Mufti-sworn-in-as-Jammu-Kashmirs-first-woman-chief-minister/articleshow/51670829.cms Mehbooba Mufti sworn in as Jammu & Kashmir's first woman chief minister]. Times of India (3 April 2016)[http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/mehbooba-mufti-jammu-kashmir-swearing-in-ceremony/ Mehbooba Mufti takes over Jammu & Kashmir reins]. Indianexpress.com (4 April 2016). Retrieved on 2019-08-28.[http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/mehbooba-mufti-to-take-oath-as-chief-minister-on-april-4-sources-1292716 Mehbooba Mufti To Take Oath As Chief Minister]. Ndtv.com (31 March 2016). Retrieved on 2019-08-28. On 4 April 2016, she took the oath and became the first woman Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.

On 25 June 2016, she won an Assembly seat in a by-election in Anantnag with the highest margin in any recent elections there and thereafter focussed on settling of Rohingyas.[http://www.jagran.com/news/national-mehbooba-mufti-wins-anantnag-by-elections-by-12-thousand-votes-14209344.html Mehbooba Mufti wins Anantnag by elections by 12 thousand votes]. Jagran.com (25 June 2016). Retrieved on 2019-08-28.

On 19 June 2018, she resigned as chief minister of Kashmir.{{cite news |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/6/19/kashmir-mehbooba-mufti-resigns-after-bjp-withdraws-support |work=al Jazeera |title=Kashmir: Mehbooba Mufti resigns after BJP withdraws support |date=19 June 2018 |first1=Rifat |last1=Fareed}} Her government had been an alliance between the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) and the BJP, but there was a rift in the alliance in February 2018, when two BJP ministers expressed public support for a man who was alleged to have raped and killed an eight-year-old girl in Kathua District. The BJP's National General Secretary, Ram Madhav, announced the end of the alliance between the BJP and the PDP, and said that it was because of the deteriorating security situation.{{cite news |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/why-bjp-pulled-the-plug-on-pdp-it-was-a-rainbow-alliance-rainbows-don-t-last-says-ram-madhav/story-JtuXifiLC8n934q6CkQC3N.html |title=Why BJP pulled the plug on PDP: Rainbow alliances are short lived, says Ram Madhav |work=Hindustan Times |date=21 June 2018 |first1=Prashant |last1=Jha |first2=Kumar |last2=Uttam}} Mehbooba and the state government had tried suspending security operations for Ramadan, but the militants had not reciprocated, and 30 people were killed during the ceasefire. So the BJP withdrew from the alliance with the PDP so that the Indian government could get tough with the militants. When the alliance between the PDP and the BJP ended, Mehbooba resigned as chief minister. Mehbooba said "the muscular policy will not work in Kashmir".

She contested 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Anantnag seat but lost it to Hasnain Masoodi of National Conference,{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbctv18.com/politics/lok-sabha-2019-election-results-mehbooba-mufti-of-jammu-and-kashmir-pdp-trails-in-anantnag-3429901.htm|title= Mehbooba Mufti |website=CNBCTV18|date= 23 May 2019 |access-date=2019-11-04}} and later also lost the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Anantanag - Rajouri seat to Mian Altaf Ahmed Larvi of National Conference [https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/lok-sabha/story/mehbooba-mufti-concedes-defeat-from-anantnag-winning-and-losing-part-of-game-2548877-2024-06-04] with 2.3 lakh votes.

Detention

On 5 August 2019, she was detained by the Central government. Her daughter Iltija Mufti took over her mother's Twitter account on the 46th day of detention.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/iltija-mufti-mehbooba-mufti-daughter-takes-over-her-twitter-account-2104565|title=Mehbooba Mufti's Daughter Takes Over Her Twitter Account|website=NDTV|access-date=2019-12-23}} In November, Iltija Mufti wrote a letter to the Srinagar Deputy Commissioner to shift her mother to a place better equipped for the valley's winter.{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/shift-my-mother-place-equipped-winter-mehbooba-mufti-daughter-iltija-mufti-1615905-2019-11-05|title=Shift my mother to place equipped for winter: Mehbooba Mufti's daughter|date=5 November 2019|website=India Today|access-date=2019-12-24}}

In February 2020 she was further detained under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/some-words-used-in-mehbooba-mufti-dossier-were-avoidable-dilbagh-singh-2180817|title=Some Words Used In Mehbooba Mufti Dossier Were Avoidable: J&K Top Cop|date=16 February 2020|website=NDTV|access-date=2020-02-16}} She was released on 13 October 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/mehbooba-mufti-released-from-detention-6723785/|title=Mehbooba released, says 'will take back what Delhi snatched'|first=Bashaarat|last=Masood|date= 14 October 2020|access-date= October 15, 2020|publisher=Indian Express|website=indianexpress.com}}

On 25 November 2020, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and People's Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti was detained by Jammu and Kashmir Police and was not allowed to visit South Kashmir's Pulwama to meet the family of senior PDP leader Waheed Para, who was arrested by the National Investigating Agency earlier that week.{{Citation needed|date= March 2022}}

Mufti said that her daughter Iltija Mufti has also been placed under house arrest.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/mehbooba-mufti-alleges-illegally-detained-again-by-jammu-and-kashmir-administration-daughter-iltija-placed-under-house-arrest-2330873|title=Mehbooba Mufti Alleges Detained Again, Daughter Under House Arrest}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/kashmir-mehbooba-mufti-daughter-allegedly-put-under-house-arrest/story-dclw7vSig7705AnwWdf94O.html|title = Kashmir: Mehbooba Mufti, daughter allegedly put under house arrest| work=Hindustan Times |date = 27 November 2020}}

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20080625070301/http://164.100.47.134/newls/Biography.aspx?mpsno=4111 Official biographical sketch in Parliament of India website]
[http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/world/04-kashmir-assembly-session-halted-over-murder-dispute-qs-09 State Assembly hall security remove opposition People's Democratic Party]
{{cite news | first=Asit | last=Jolly | url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/kashmir-mehbooba-mufti-centre-peoples-democratic-party/1/945174.html | title=Mehbooba Mufti under Siege. Can She Stem the Rot? | work=India Today | date=15 May 2017 | pages=30–38 }} ("Buffeted by Insurgency and Dissent within Her Party, She Needs All the Help She Can Get from a Reluctant Centre.") indiatoday.intoday.on 4 May 2017

{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament
for Anantnag|years=2004–2009}}

{{s-aft|after={{nowrap|Mirza Mehboob Beg}}}}

{{s-aft|after={{nowrap|Vacant}}}}

{{s-ttl|title= Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir|years=4 April 2016 – 19 June 2018}}

{{s-ttl|title=Leader of the Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party in the
16th Lok Sabha|years= 2014 – 4 April 2016}}

Category:1959 births

Category:Living people

Category:University of Kashmir alumni

Category:India MPs 2004–2009

Category:Women in Jammu and Kashmir politics

Category:Women chief ministers of Indian states

Category:People from Anantnag district