You are not alone: Shashi Tharoor shows solidarity with Omar Abdullah over alleged house arrest

Expressing solidarity with Omar Abdullah who was placed under house arrest on Sunday, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said that that their voices in Parliament would not be stilled. Taking to Twitter, Tharoor wrote, "You are not alone Omar Abdullah. Every Indian democrat will stand with the decent mainstream leaders in Kashmir as you face up to whatever the government has in store for our country. Parliament is still in session and our voices will not be stilled," he tweeted. 

Amid the unprecedented turmoil in Kashmir, National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah, Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti and chairman of Peoples Conference Sajad Gani Lone along with several other maintream political leaders of Jammu and Kashmir were placed under house arrest on late Sunday night.

"What is going on in J&K? Why would leaders be arrested overnight while having done no wrong? If Kashmiris are our citizens & their leaders our partners, surely the mainstream ones must be kept on board while we act against terrorists & separatists? If we alienate them, who's left?" Shashi Tharoor wrote in another Tweet.

The authorities have ordered closure of schools and colleges in Jammu on Monday as precautionary measure and restrictions have also been imposed in Srinagar under Section 144 CrPC. Local cabel TV channels have also been shut across the Valley and internet services across senstitive areas will remain blocked untill further orders. 

"There will be a complete bar on holding any kind of public meetings or rallies during the period of operation of this order. Identity cards of essential services officials will be treated as movement passes wherever required," the government said.

Just before being put under house arrest, the former BJP ally and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti tweeted that voices of people of Kashmir were being muzzled and the state is facing oppression of unimaginable magnitude.

"How ironic that elected representatives like us who fought for peace are under house arrest. The world watches as people & their voices are being muzzled in J&K. The same Kashmir that chose a secular democratic India is facing oppression of unimaginable magnitude. Wake up India," Mufti said.