 Early Times Report
Jammu, Jan 25: With the picture of Omar Abdullah spotting grey white beard is becoming viral on social media, national conference leaders are all set to make an issue out of it.
Several leaders within the national conference- party where the former Chief Minister is a vice President- are up in arms against the condition of their leader, terming it deeply hurting and worrisome for them.
After more than five months, since August 5, last year when special status of Jammu and Kashmir was removed and the state was downgraded to a Union territory, the first picture of the former Chief Minister got leaked on twitter on Saturday. As the picture took the social media on storm, his own party is all set to score brownie points out of it. “See what is happening to the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir. He is barely recognizable in the photo. If this could be the fate of a former chief minister and a reputed politician of the erstwhile state- just imagine what is going to be the fate of others who have been kept under preventive detention by the central government,” says a national conference functionary from Srinagar.
There are several other politicians from the party who share similar views and hinted at making it an issue before the public. “Yes, we will tell everyone what they have done to our leader. The picture should become more and more viral. It will reveal upon masses what sacrifices NC has rendered for JK’s core interests,” says a senior NC leader.
Pertinently, on August 5, this year, the union government scrapped Article 370 that accorded special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The government also bifurcated the state into two union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Apprehending that the leaders of various mainstream political groups could instigate protests and there could be a spike in incidents of violence, these leaders were kept in various make-shift jails. The detainees include three former chief ministers namely Dr Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah and PDP President Mehbooba Mufti. Though Farooq Abdullah has been slapped with PSA under which he cannot contest his trail for the minimum period of six months, Omar and Mehbooba have so far been kept under preventive custody.
As per the reports, apart from Mirwaiz, two leaders of National Conference, one each from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and two others, whose political affiliations were not immediately revealed, had signed the bonds.
Pertinently, at least 36 detainees who were lodged in sub-jail Centaur since August 5 have been shifted to MLA Hostel Srinagar.
Separatist Mirwaiz was placed under house detention on August 5, in the wake of scrapping of Article 370 and Article 35 A. Mirwaiz, who has been a key leader of Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Syed Ali Geelani and JKLF chief Muhammad Yasin Malik. Geelani remains confined to his Hyderpora residence while as Malik has been booked by NIA court and stands lodged in New Delhi’s Tihar. The trio had vociferously opposed any change in the State Subject Law guaranteed under Article 35A. |
