J-K Politicians Won't Be Detained For Over 18 Months, Provided Movie CDs, Gym: Jitendra Singh

Kashmiri politicians detained following the abrogation of Article 370 will not be kept in confinement for more than 18 months, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Sunday. He also said the leaders were not arrested but they were living as "house guests" and were even provided with CDs of Hollywood movies and bread of their choices.

"Political leaders have been kept in VIP bungalows. We have even given them CDs of Hollywood movies. Gym facility has also been provided to them. They are not under house arrest. They are house guests," he said at a public rally in Jammu.

The Minister of State for Prime Minister's Office asserted that political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir will not be under detention for more than 18 months.

An unspecified number of political leaders, separatists, activists and lawyers were detained by the Jammu and Kashmir administration as the Central government on August 5 announced the abrogation of the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and its bifurcation into Union Territories.

Those who were detained since then include three former Chief Ministers -- Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti. Union minister Singh also said that Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir belongs to India and the central government is committed to restoring the boundaries of Jammu and Kashmir.

"Parliament has already passed a resolution on this in 1999," he said.

(With PTI inputs)