Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], September 9 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday condemned the detention of lone Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Mehraj Malik under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA), saying that the MLA’s detention affects the trust of people in democracy.
Referring to the Hazratbal Shrine row, Abdullah complained that only innocents were being “harassed” while there was no action against those who played with their religious sentiments.
“I am not able to understand what he did to get detained under such a strict law like the PSA? Was there any incident of stone-pelting? On the contrary, there is no action against those who played with our religious sentiments and spoiled the atmosphere at the Hazratbal Shrine. Only innocents are being harassed. But no action is being taken against those who hurt our religious sentiments. Booking the MLA under PSA will affect people’s trust in Jamhuriyat (democracy),” Abdullah told reporters here.
This comes after Malik, representing Doda assembly constituency, was booked under provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act 1978 (PSA) on Monday on grounds of his activities being prejudicial to the maintenance of public order.
According to reports, action against him has been taken after due consideration of all relevant materials, reports and circumstances clearly establishing that the continuance of such activities by a member of the Legislative Assembly posed a grave threat to peace, public order and tranquillity in a district.
Preventive detention under PSA was found necessary in the interest of maintaining public order and safeguarding law and order in the region.
AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal strongly reacted to the arrest, questioning the rationale behind the same, further stating that it was an attack on democracy.
“Is demanding a hospital for the people your area such a grave crime that an elected MLA has to be thrown jail for it Mehraaj Malik is the lion of the Aam Aadmi Party. He will always remain the voice of the people, fighting for their rights. Jail, threats, and conspiracies… none of these can ever scare any soldier of AAP,” the post read.
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) MLA Waheed Para termed the arrest a “direct assault on democracy,” while calling out the endorsement of PSA against an elected MLA by the Assembly Secretariat.
Further in his post, Para demanded the protection of the democratic sanctity of elected representatives.
“Shameful surrender. Assembly Secretariat endorsing PSA against an elected MLA is a direct assault on democracy. J&K CM Omar Abdullah must act, don’t allow the institution of MLA, the last agency of the people, to be silenced. Today it’s Mehraj, tomorrow it could be you,” the post read. (ANI)
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