Conflict

DeM Chief, Asiya Andrabi, is a ‘die-hard secessionist’, says police in PSA dossier

Srinagar: Asiya Andrabi, the chief of all-women pro-freedom group Dukhtaran-i-Millat (DeM), has been charged with “glorifying militancy, supporting stone throwing and instigating youth to joint militant groups in Kashmir”.

Asiya was arrested from her Soura residence on April 27 and booked under draconian Public Safety Act (PSA), which authorities invoke to detain a person for a minimum period of six months to two years without a trial.

She is the only woman resistance leader to have been booked under this law for as many as 20 times since 1993.

A local news gathering agency – CNS – quoting DeM secretary general, Nahida Nasreen, as saying, “Asiya and her close aide Fehmeeda Sofi were shifted to Amphala Jail in Jammu although the PSA order issued by Srinagar district magistrate had directed the police to detain her at Baramulla district jail.”

“After perusal of records submitted by the Senior Superintendent of Police Srinagar, and after applying my mind carefully and having regard to the requirements of law, I am satisfied with a view to prevent Syed Asiya Andrabi, wife of Ashiq Hussain Faktoo from acting in any manner prejudicial to the maintenance of public order. It is necessary to detain her under the provisions of J&K Public Safety Act,” reads the order dated May 9, 2017.

The grounds of PSA order prepared by the police call Asiya a “die-hard secessionist” whose “endeavour is to secede the state of J&K from union of India and in order to achieve it she has indulged in anti-national activities and has played an important role in 2008 Amarnath agitation and also in 2010 and 2016 summer unrest by announcing programs/rallies with secessionist elements”.

“During these rallies she has been repeatedly glorifying the death of militants and has been asking the people to adopt the path of militancy and secessionism,” reads the copy of the grounds of detention.

“Since she (Asiya) wields a considerable clout in secessionist and militant circles, a large number of disgruntled elements is getting motivated by her sermons and is joining the secessionist/militant ranks. She and her associates have created an atmosphere of chaos and anarchy in the Valley.”

“During the present unrest,” the document reads, the DeM chief “has not only taken an active role in devising the programs with secessionist elements”, but was “also found as one of the sources of instigation for protestors as well as to the disgruntled elements who resort to arson and other illegal activities”.

The grounds of detention state that whenever she was released, Asiya reverted to “her illegal activities which are prejudicial to the maintenance of public order”.

“Be it glorifying militancy or extending support to stone pelting or delivering sermons to the disgruntled elements for indulging in national activities, she has indulged in everything,” the police dossier for the PSA further reads.

“If she is allowed to remain at large at this juncture, she will again indulge in illegal activities which have a direct bearing upon the maintenance of public order as the separatists are desperately trying to disrupt. In order to stop her from indulging in such activities, her detention under the provision of PSA at this stage has become imperative as the normal law has not been sufficient to stop her.

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