Describing the decision to extend the detention of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti under Public Safety Act (PSA) for another three months as unbelievable, cruel and retrograde, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said New Delhi needed to make friends in Jammu and Kashmir but is doing the opposite.
About extending PSA against National Conference (NC) general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar, the NC Vice president Omar said he was struggling to get his head around the decision and the logic behind it and it smacs of vindictiveness and anything.
Taking to micro-blogging site twitter Omar said “ Unbelievably cruel & retrograde decision to extend @MehboobaMufti’s detention. Nothing she has done or said in any way justifies the way the Indian state has treated her & the others detained”.
“For a government that is making tall claims about normality in J&K the last few days coupled with the extension of Ms Mufti’s detention is proof enough that Modi ji has single handedly pushed J&K back decades”, he further tweeted.
In another tweet Omar, who introduces himself as former PSA Political detainee, former CM of J&K state, former Union Minister, former MP, former MLA. Vice President @JKNC said “General Secretary of @JKNC_ Sagar Sb has also had his PSA extended by a further 3 months. I’m struggling to get my head around the decision & the logic behind it because it smacks of vindictiveness & nothing else. New Delhi needed to make friends in J&K but is doing the opposite”.
PSA detention of former Chief Minister Mehbooba, senior PDP leader and his uncle Sartaj Madani and Sagar was extended by three more months on Tuesday.
The extension of the detention of the trio comes hours before their present term under the PSA was to expire. In brief orders yesterday by the Home Department of the Jammu and Kashmir administration, the extension of PSA was made under the public order provisions of the act.
The PDP president, Omar Abdullah and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah, besides dozens of mainstream leaders, including ex-ministers, were detained on August 5, 2019, when centre abrogated Article 370 and Article 35 A, besides bifurcated the state into two Union Territories. Ms Mufti was later booked under the PSA and stayed in solitary confinement for over eight months.
Omar Abdullah was released in March after about eight month detention following revocation of PSA which was slapped against him. Dr Farooq, who is MP from Srinagar, was also released in March after remaining under detention for about seven months. The NC president was released after his PSA was revoked by the J&K administration. Some other people lodged in different jails outside J&K were released last month amid COVID-19 outbreak.
However, several senior leaders, including Mr Sagar, Mr Madni, IAS officer turned politician Shah Faesal and PDP leader Naeem Akhtar, remained detained under PSA.