Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah criticised the government over the detention of AAP MP Sanjay Singh in Srinagar, calling it “illegal” and undemocratic. Singh, along with AAP MLA Mehraj Malik, was detained under the PSA. Abdullah urged the use of legal remedies instead of misuse of laws and assured support to Singh’s family during this time.
Sanjjay Singh. Pic/PTI
While lashing out at the opponents, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said that AAP Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh was detained illegally in Jammu and Kashmir.
Sanjay Singh, along with other AAP members, arrived in Srinagar on Wednesday after the party MLA from Doda. Along with Sanjay Singh, Mehraj Malik was also detained under the stringent Public Safety Act.
As reported by news agency PTI, police on Thursday also foiled a protest march by AAP against the detention by not allowing the party members, including Singh, to move out of the Circuit House.
While slamming the government, Omar Abdullah said, "Use of the PSA against the MLA (Doda) is wrong. And now you have aggravated the mistake by illegally detaining a Rajya Sabha member. Have you served any order of detention on him?”
He further added, "This is not good for democracy in Jammu and Kashmir, and the message it sends out also is not good. Those who are doing it should reconsider their actions," as cited by news agency PTI.
Asserting that if anyone had an objection to the behaviour of the MLA, the issue could have been taken up with the Assembly Secretariat.
The Jammu and Kashmir CM further said, "If it is his behaviour that you have an objection to, it could have been taken up with the Assembly Secretariat or the Speaker. But the use of PSA is wrong," as cited by news agency PTI.
While meeting AAP MP Sanjay Singh’s father, Omar Abdullah assured him that “we all are with you during this tough time and will offer all the help”.
Abdullah further added, "My advice to the AAP leaders is to engage a lawyer who understands the PSA and has dealt with such cases. This law is not in force anywhere in the country except Jammu and Kashmir. If they bring a lawyer from outside, it will take him time to understand the law.
"I have spoken to some lawyers... I myself had to fight against the PSA in 2020. I engaged a lawyer here who contested the case in the Supreme Court," as per news agency PTI.
Abdullah also lashed out at the media for reporting the detention of political leaders as a claim rather than a fact.
While showing outrage, Abdullah asserted, "You are asking questions as if Sanjay Singh is lying. It is not his claim but the truth. Repeatedly the channels and newspapers say that we (politicians) claim... This is not a claim. This is the truth," as cited by news agency PTI.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also said, “While the LG administration, which controls the law and order machinery in Jammu and Kashmir, claims that everything is fine in Jammu and Kashmir,” as cited by news agency PTI.
(With inputs from PTI)
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