NL Correspondent
Srinagar, Feb 6: Ministry of Home Affairs has slapped Public Safety Act (PSA) on two former chief ministers of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir – Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah.
They have already been under detention for the last six months since the abrogation of Article 370.
Omar Abdullah, 49, and Mehbooba Mufti, 60, were detained since August 5, when the Modi government announced the abrogation of Article 370 scrapping Jammu and Kashmir's special status and bifurcating the state into two Union Territories.
Sources said that while “most of the political leaders were released after they signed a bond not to indulge in political activity, at least 10 leaders are in detention.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday spoke in Parliament describing the situation in Kashmir valley after the Abrogation of Article 370. PM Modi told Lok Sabha that Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah had given inflammatory speeches before the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5. All three Kashmiri leaders now face PSA charges.
“We won't give permission to disturb the peace of any place in this country be it Kashmir or Northeast,” the PM said.
Meanwhile, four leaders were released on Wednesday, including People's Conference leader Sajjad Lone — once a close BJP aide — and Wahid Para, a member of Mehbooba Mufti's Peoples Democratic Party.
Authorities on Thursday also slapped Public Safety Act (PSA) against National Conference General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar and senior PDP leader Sartaj Madani who were shifted from MLA hostel to a government building at Gupkar. Earlier, the officials had said that former NC legislator Bashir Ahmed Veeri was also booked under the PSA but later it turned out that he had been released.
According to news reports, Sagar and Madani, both have been slapped with PSA. Madani's PSA has been approved by District Magistrate Kulgam under order DMK-Kulgam-order number 80—PSA.
As per the PSA of Madani, he has been booked for his role during the double-rape and murder of Asiya and Nelofar in 2009 and pioneering the self-rule doctrine of PDP. Similarly, Sagar's PSA has been also approved by District Magistrate Srinagar. However, it was not clear what the grounds of detention were against Sagar. Duo has already served six month long detention since August 5.
As per the dossiers of both the leaders accessed by the KNO, Sagar's PSA dossier reads that SSP Srinagar vide order number 1247-50, dated 5-2-2020, produced recorded material dossier. The dossier reads that connecting documents in respect of Ali Muhammad Sagar, resident of Nawa Bazar at present Airport road, “I am satisfied that he was prejudiced to maintenance of peace,” reads the PSA of Sagar. As per the grounds of detention order: DMS/PSA/ 145, 2019 dated 5-2-2020, Sagar had raised the voice against the vision of India besides Article 370 and Article 35 A.
“He was very vocal against abrogation of 35A and Article 370. He was involving in instigating youth especially party workers. His capacity to disturb the public order can be gauged from the fact that he succeeded in mobilizing voters in the peak of militancy and poll boycotts,” the dossier reads.
As per the dossier of Sartaj Madani, it reads that he played a pivotal role during Asiya and Nelofar case. “He played a vital role in mobilizing anti-social elements,” the dossier reads, as per KNO. “He was also involved in provoking people to come on to the streets and actively support separatists and propagate secession of J&K from Union of India especially after Afzal Guru's hanging.”
Sagar and PDP leader and uncle of Mehbooba Mufti, Sartaj Madni, were shifted from the MLA hostel to a government building M5 on the highly secure Gupkar road, which has been designated as a sub-jail.
Meanwhile, National conference leader and former MLC Bashir Veeri was released from detention on Thursday. More than three dozen leaders were detained after the abrogation of Article 370, but most of them have been released now on the Supreme Court's direction.
Even as the Jammu and Kashmir administration is gradually releasing the mainstream politicians, the detention of three former chief ministers, Dr Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti's detention may be extended. Dr Farooq has already been booked under Public Safety Act (PSA) a law enacted by his late father Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah.
Sources said that authorities could extend the detention of Shah Faesal, the former IAS officer turned politician, who has also been in detention for months now.
Farooq Abdullah has been detained at his home at Gupkar road in Srinagar, which has been designated as a sub jail. Omar Abdullah is detained at Hari Niwas and Mehbooba Mufti has been kept in a government building on the Maulana Azad Road.
