| It is a long walk to freedom for JK's two former CMs | | Govt apprehends release of Omar, Mehbooba could trigger chaos again | |
Early Times Report
Jammu, Nov 27: The two former Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir- Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti will have to wait to see themselves as free birds again as the government is apprehensive that the release of the duo has the tendency to leave the law and order in doldrums.
As per the reports coming to the fore, the government is mulling to release the detained political leaders who were arrested on August 4- a day ahead of revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. Now when more than 100 days have passed since the embargo began, the government is initiating the process of releasing the detained political leaders in a phased manner.
However, if reports are believed, there are least chances that two former chief ministers- Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti will be released anytime soon. The duo will have to tread a long walk to freedom and that their incarceration will continue for now. The government apprehends that their release could trigger the crises in the erstwhile state where life is struggling to limp back to normalcy with each passing day.
As many as four leaders belonging to various political parties were allowed to visit their houses for few hours on Saturday after they requested for it, they aid. Some of the political leaders who are detained in their houses may be allowed to move out of the valley on health grounds, the officials said.
There was a possibility of some of the detainees being released from the MLA hostel but a final plan will be worked out by the Union Territory administration with the Centre.
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. |
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