Srinagar: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has now been detained under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA), which enables authorities to detain any individual for two years without trial, sources said Monday.
Farooq Abdullah, the 81-year-old patron of the National Conference (NC) has been under house arrest since August 5 when the Centre announced abrogation of the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and bifurcation of the state into Union territories.
Farooq Abdullah has been detained under the PSA, official sources said. The tougher law was slapped on him, Sunday.
It should be added here that the Supreme Court has asked Monday the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir administration to respond to a plea seeking that the former Chief Minister be produced before a court.
The petition was filed by Tamil Nadu’s MDMK leader Vaiko, seeking Abdullah’s release so he could attend an event in Chennai. Vaiko is said to be a close friend of Abdullah for four decades.
The Congress meanwhile strongly condemned Monday, Farooq Abdullah’s detention under the PSA. The party said that it is the country’s ‘misfortune’ that the leaders who fought for its unity and integrity have been put behind bars.
Congress Rajya Sabha MP and Leader of Opposition in the House Ghulam Nabi Azad was critical of the development. “I strongly condemn it. It is most unfortunate that a (former) Chief Minister of one of the oldest political parties in Kashmir (has been detained),” stated Ghulam Nabi Azad.
“Each Chief Minister, and each political party be it Congress, National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party in Jammu and Kashmir have tried their level best to fight militancy. If there is no militancy today, it is because of these political parties and not the BJP alone,” Azad asserted.
“If the leaders who fought against militancy and for the unity and integrity of the country are put behind bars under the PSA, it is misfortune of the country,” added Ghulam Nabi Azad.
PTI