National Conference planning to challenge detention of Farooq Abdullah under PSA

Abdullah, Member of Parliament (MP) from Srinagar constituency, was among dozens of leaders of different mainstream political parties, detained on the night of Aug 4, hours before the Centre scrapped Article 370 and divided it into two Union Territories(UTs) on Aug 5.

Those detained also included two former CMs Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti besides former ministers and legislators.

However, Abdullah was later booked under PSA after his detention in Srinagar was raised in the Lok Sabha by opposition members during the discussion on special status of the state. The NC president was later detained at his Gupkar house which was turned into sub-jail.

Recently detention of Abdullah under PSA was extended for three more months. Extending detention of Dr Abdullah was strongly condemned by Jammu based NC leaders who demanded his immediate release. They described the detention of Abdullah as unconstitutional and against the principal of natural justice. Similar resolution was also passed by NC unit of Ganderbal who criticized the government for extending the detention of Abdullah.

Two NC MPs Justice (Retd) Hasnain Masoodi and Mohammad Akbar Lone said the party is planning to challenge the detention of Abdullah, three time CM, in the court.

However, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in his speech in Parliament, justified the detention of mainstream leaders, including Farooq Abdullah. He said arrest of these leaders helped to maintain law and order. He further said that father of Abdullah’s father Sheikh Abdullah was detained by Congress for eleven years.

Some leaders of different political parties were released after they reportedly gave a written assurance that they will not indulge in any activities which could disturb law and order in the state.

Almost all separatist leaders, including Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) chief Shabir Ahmad Shah and JKLF president Mohammad Yaseen Malik are under detention for the past about two years in different cases, including terror funding. Chairmen of both the factions of Hurriyat Conference (HC) Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq are under house arrest while their spokespersons are detained in Delhi’s Tihar jail.