Conflict
You can imprison a person but not his ideas, says Mehbooba after crackdown on Jamaat, Hurriyat leaders
Srinagar: PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday while reacting over the crackdown on Jammat and Hurriyat leaders said that such a move will only precipitate matters in the state.
While questioning the legal grounds of the arrests, she, in a tweet said:
In the past 24 hours, Hurriyat leaders & workers of Jamaat organisation have been arrested. Fail to understand such an arbitrary move which will only precipitate matters in J&K. Under what legal grounds are their arrests justified? You can imprison a person but not his ideas.
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) February 23, 2019
Earlier, on Friday night, cops detained JKLF chief Mohammad Yasin Malik from his residence.In a massive crackdown on Jamaat-e-Islami, dozens including the top leadership were also detained during night raids in Kashmir.
In a statement, a JeI spokesman said the police and other forces launched a “mass arrest drive” during the intervening night of February 22 and 23 and arrested dozens of its central and district-level leaders.
“Article 35(A) which grants special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir, is being heard within days and the way forces personnel unleashed the spree of mass arrest and detained dozens of Jama’at members prior to the hearing seems something is hatching behind the curtains,” said the spokesman, adding: “Any attempt of eroding or tempering Article 35(A) is unacceptable for people of Jammu and Kashmir,” Jamaat spokesperson said in a statement.
Moreover, the Home Ministry of India has called for an urgent deployment of hundred more companies of central armed forces in Kashmir.
We have to urgently deploy CAPFs in Jammu & Kashmir. It is requested to provide 100 coys of CAPFs (CRPF – 45,BSF-35,SSB-10 & ITBP 10) to Govt of J&K with immediate effect and till further orders. IG (ops), CRPF is requested to ensure immediate movement of forces in coordination with IG (ops) of all forces,” read a Home Ministry letter to the state government, copies of which have been also sent to IG(Ops) to CRPF, BSF, ITBP and SSB.
