Srinagar: Former J&K chief minister Farooq Abdullah was released on Friday after more than seven months in detention. The government also revoked the draconian Public Safety Act (PSA) under which he had been held at his residence here.
Immediately after his release, Abdullah demanded that his son Omar Abdullah, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, and other political leaders lodged in various prisons in and outside J&K be released at the earliest to allow political activities to take place.
The 82-year-old veteran politician had initially been taken into preventive detention on August 5, the day the central government abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. Subsequently, PSA was slapped on him on September 15, which was extended on December 13.
The December extension of PSA was due to end at Friday midnight and could have been extended for a maximum of six more months. However, it emerged that his PSA was extended on March 11 for another three months but was suddenly revoked Friday afternoon.
Abdullah, who was the first chief minister to have been booked under PSA, appeared after 220 days before reporters and said, “Today I am free but this freedom is not complete. It will be complete when other leaders like Omar, Mehbooba Mufti and others in jails are released.”
The Lok Sabha member from Srinagar was flanked by his family members including his wife Molie Abdullah. He expressed gratitude to all those who raised the issue of his detention in Parliament.
“I would also like to express gratitude to every individual who prayed for us … I will not speak on any political matter till others are released,” he said, not accepting any questions from the media.
Abdullah, who underwent an eye surgery earlier this week, expressed hope that he would be able to attend Parliament so that he can raise the voice of the people there.
According to an order issued by the Union Territory’s home secretary Shaleen Kabra, the PSA ordered by the district magistrate of Srinagar on September 15 and subsequently extended for three months each on December 13 and March 11 this year stood revoked.
Officials said that District Magistrate Shahid Iqbal Choudhary entered the residence of Abdullah and handed over the release order to him.
Former Union minister and senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said he welcomed Abdullah’s “belated release” and hoped that “…he will soon resume his rightful place on the front bench of the Lok Sabha, where he can address with his usual compelling vigour the issues facing his state and the state of the nation. His detention was a disgrace.”
Iltija Mufti, daughter of Mehbooba Mufti, demanded the release of all those detained following revocation of Article 370.
“Time to release all detainees including thousands of young men languishing in jails outside J&K. This has gone on for far too long & must end now,” Iltija tweeted.
Senior CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said Abdullah’s release was long overdue. “The imposition of PSA on and detention of Dr Farooq Abdullah was illegal, undemocratic and unconstitutional. We have all been concerned about his health and well being. His release was long overdue.”
The CPI(M) in Jammu and Kashmir described Abdullah’s release as a “step to correct one wrong among many wrongs”.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she prayed for the long life of Abdullah and hoped that the other two former chief ministers — Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti — will soon be released and “allowed to join the democratic process immediately.”
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Friday hit out at the Modi government for keeping Farooq Abdullah under detention for seven months, saying that “despotism and arbitrariness” constitute the rule of law in the Union Territory.
“Dr Farooq Abdullah, welcome to freedom. What was the justification to keep him in detention without charges for 7 months? If there was justification (there was none), what is the reason for releasing him today?” Chidambaram said.
“Despotism and arbitrariness constitute the Rule of Law in J&K. And this virus is spreading to many states in India,” the former home minister said.
PTI

Press Trust of India