"It's High Time Mehbooba Mufti Is Released", Rahul Gandhi Slams Centre Over Leader's Detention

Mehbooba Mufti was booked under PSA on August 5, 2019, few hours before the centre announced the bifurcation of the 2 Union Territories as Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh and revoked the special status.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. FILE PIC/AFP.

New Delhi: With 3 days short of a year of abrogation of Article 370, the opposition has been demanding the release of leaders in Kashmir. In the latest development, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi slammed centre and accused the government of undermining democracy by ‘illegally” detaining political leaders. ALSO READ|J&K Leaders Saifuddin Soz, Sajad Lone Released 5 Days Short Of A Year Since Abrogation Of Article 370 Rahul Gandhi on Sunday pitched for release of Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti from home detention. “India’s democracy is damaged when GOI illegally detains political leaders. It’s high time Mehbooba Mufti is released,” tweeted the Congress leader.

India’s democracy is damaged when GOI illegally detains political leaders.

It’s high time Mehbooba Mufti is released. — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 2, 2020

Mufti has been held under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) since the early hours of August 5 last year and her detention was extended by three months on Saturday.

P Chidambaram's attack at Centre over extension of Mufti's detention

Earlier, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram had slammed the Centre over extension of PDP leader’s detention and said it is an "abuse of law" and "assault" on the constitutional rights of every citizen of the country. "The extension of the detention of Ms Mehbooba Mufti under PSA is an abuse of law and an assault on the Constitutional rights guaranteed to every citizen," the former Union minister wrote on Twitter. Seeking her immediate release from detention, Chidambaram wondered how a 61-year-old former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister is a threat to public safety. "How is the 61-year-old former chief minister, a protected person under security guard round the clock, a threat to public safety?" he asked.

Saifuddin Soz, Sajad Lone released

People's Conference leader Sajjad Gani Lone and senior Congress leader Saifuddin Soz were freed from detention on Thursday, 31st July. According to several reports, nearly 400 political leaders were either detained or placed under house arrest after they protested against the central government's decision of ending the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the state into two Union Territories -- Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory and Ladakh Union Territory. Initially, Lone was sent at a detention center for the first six months starting from August and then put under house arrest for another six months starting from February this year. After being freed just five days short a year, Lone took to his official Twitter account saying, "Finally 5 days short of a year I have been officially informed that I am a free man. So much has changed. So have I. Jail was not a new experience. Earlier ones were harsh with usual doses of physical torture. But this was psychologically draining. Much to share hopefully soon."