Kashmir Leaders To Be Released From Detention ‘One By One’: Advisor To J-K Governor

After spending more than 50 days under house arrest, following scraping of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, political leaders of Kashmir will be released in a phased manner after proper analysis, said Farooq Khan, Advisor to Jammu and Kashmir Governor. “Yes, one by one after analysis of every individual, they will be released,” Khan said when asked to comment on the future course of action regarding the detention of Kashmiri leaders.

The statement comes a day after their Jammu counterparts were released. After the Centre announced on August 5 scrapping of the provisions of Article 370, several politicians were placed under house arrest. Political leaders like National Conference chief and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti and J&K People’s Conference leader Sajjad Gani Lone have been under house arrest since August 5.

Nearly 400 politicians were either placed under house arrest or detained after the Modi government and bifurcated the state into two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory and Ladakh Union Territory.  

Over 250 petitions have been filed against the preventive detention orders against prominent political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir. Petitions have also been filed in the Supreme Court against the detentions.

Earlier on Wednesday, leaders of non-BJP parties in Jammu claimed that the administration has lifted the nearly two-month-long restrictions ‘imposed’ on them, even as officials said these were only ‘self-imposed’ curbs.

"We were told by a station house officer that restriction on me has been lifted and I can move freely," senior Congress leader and former minister Ramnan Bhalla told PTI.

National Conference (NC) leader and former legislator Devender Singh Rana said, "Police have told me that I am now free to take part in any political activity as restrictions imposed on us are being lifted."

The other leaders who made similar claims are Javed Rana, S S Salathia and Sajjad Kitchloo of the NC, Vikar Rasool of the Congress and Harshdev Singh of Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP).

However, Jammu Divisional Commissioner Sanjeev Verma told PTI that these leaders were never detained and were free to participate in political activities.

"We never restrained them... They were under self-imposed restriction," he said.

With Agency Inputs