Srinagar: Three seniors leaders of National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were on Thursday booked under Public Safety Act after completing six months under preventive detention.
The trio includes NC general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar, PDP vice president Sartaj Madni and former NC MLC Bashir Ahmad Veeri.
Sagar and Madni, who were lodged in MLA Hostel in Srinagar were shifted to Gupkar where they have been put in a government accommodation. Similarly, Veeri has been shifted to his official accommodation in Srinagar.
According to KNO, Madani, who is maternal uncle of former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti has been booked for his role during the alleged rape and murder of Asiya and Nelofar in 2009 and pioneering the PDP’s self-rule doctrine.
“He (Madni) played a vital role in mobilizing anti-social elements. He was also involved in provoking people to come on to the streets and actively support separatists and propagate secession of J&K from Union of India especially after Afzal Guru’s hanging,” said the dossier.
Similarly, Sagar’s PSA was approved by District Magistrate Srinagar. His dossier said that connecting documents in respect of Ali Muhammad Sagar, resident of Nawab Bazar at present Airport road: “I am satisfied that he was prejudiced to maintenance of peace”.
As per the grounds of detention order, the NC leader raised voice against the vision of India besides Article 370 and Article 35 A.
“He was very vocal against abrogation of 35A and Article 370. He was involving in instigating youth especially party workers. His capacity to disturb the public order can be gauged from the fact that he succeeded in mobilizing voters in the peak of militancy and poll boycotts,” it said.
Meanwhile, mainstream parties reacted sharply to the slapping of the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) the trio.
Reacting to the development, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) said the BJP-led government at the Centre is “testing the patience” of the people by such “undemocratic moves”.
Jammu and Kashmir unit of the CPI(M) also condemned the slapping of the PSA on the three prominent Kashmiri leaders, while the Congress termed the decision as “unfortunate”.
A PDP spokesperson described the slapping of the PSA on the three leaders as “most condemnable” and said the Union government is “testing the patience of the people of Jammu and Kashmir by such undemocratic steps”.
“If everything is normal in Jammu and Kashmir, why the mainstream leaders are treated like criminals?” he asked.
“The BJP is misleading the country about Jammu and Kashmir,” the spokesperson added.
Senior CPI(M) leader and former legislator M Y Tarigami said the decision puts a question mark on the Centre’s claim that the situation is normal in J and K post the abrogation of special status and bifurcation of the erstwhile state into UTs on August 5 last year.
“On one hand, the BJP within and outside Parliament is claiming that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is normal, on the other it is resorting to the use of draconian laws against prominent leaders.
“What is the meaning of slapping the PSA on the leaders after six months? They (government) are claiming that the situation is normal and improving and are releasing the detained political leaders,” he said.
Tarigami said the local administration is preparing to hold elections to nearly 13,000 vacant posts of panches and sarpanches but the decision to slap the PSA does not go well with the democratic exercise.
“The elections should precede release of political detenues and political activity but they are slapping the PSA. There are already many people in jails or under house arrest, including the three former chief ministers. The claims of normalcy are completely farce,” he said.
Chief spokesperson of Jammu and Kashmir unit of Congress Ravinder Sharma termed the slapping of the PSA on the three leaders as “unfortunate”.
“There is no justification for it…the mainstream leaders served the erstwhile state in different capacities,” Sharma said, adding the latest move does not match with the claims of normalcy by the BJP and comes at a time when it is encouraging a section of mainstream opposition leaders for political activity.

Reader correspondent