Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, stating that he is praying for early release of the three former J&K chief ministers, Farooq Abdullah, his son, Omar Abdullah, and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti seems to be a hint that these leaders have a long way to go.
The three former chief ministers of the erstwhile State were detained on August 5 last year, when Centre announced its decision to abrogate J&K’s special status and divided it into the two union territories. Senior Abdullah was booked under Public Safety Act in September last year, while Omar and Mehbooba were slapped with the PSA last month.
The detention of the former chief ministers getting prolonged has pushed their parties--National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party--to the brink. The PDP stands decimated, while the NC is on crossroads.
The senior most minister of PM Modi led government saying that he is praying for early release of Abdullahs and Mufti is a loaded statement. It’s a direct indication that the Government of India (GoI) is in no mood to release the leaders, who ruled J&K in the past.
Many people in J&K are trying to figure out why the former chief ministers and few others, including a bureaucrat turned politician, Shah Faesal, are not being released. Is it that these leaders are not ready to give assurance that they won’t indulge in any such activity that would vitiate peace. Or is it something else?
Since the day J&K has been turned into a Union Territory, the Government of India (GoI) has ensured that peace prevails and no protests breakout anywhere. It has succeeded in maintaining peace. So no one in the government at this point of time would take a risk to allow anyone, especially the jailed Kashmir centric leaders, to come out and spew venom. So it means that they are better off in jail. And the Defence Minister can only pray for their release. It means he won’t recommend their release.
Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, who was the Union Home Minister, in the first stint of the PM Modi led government has dealt with Kashmir centric leaders, including Mehbooba Mufti, Abdullahs and others very closely. Singh as the Union Home Minister made many attempts to hold talks with every section of the society in Kashmir but all his efforts went in a vain as he didn’t get positive response from any side. Kashmir centric leaders, who are under detention, are reaping what they had sown. |
