Opposition leaders put the spotlight political leaders under detention in Kashmir as the Winter Session of Parliament began on Monday. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and TMC leader Saugata Roy asked the Parliament what was happening with these leaders and why National Conference leader and MP Farooq Abdullah was not being allowed to attend parliament.
News18 quoted Chowdhury as saying, “Home Minister had promised us that Farooq Abdullah will not be taken into custody. He is not keeping well. It’s been 108 days today. Under constitutional obligations, Farooq Abdullah and P Chidambaram should be brought here in the House.”
According to reports Chowdhury also asked why Indian MPs were not allowed to visit Kashmir, which has been under lockdown since 5 August, when MPs of the European Union were taken there.
TMC’s Saugata Roy asked for Abdullah to be released and asked Home Minister Amit Shah to respond to why he was under detention. Shah had earlier denied that Abdullah had been put under detention.
Several regional leaders of like Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and Sajjan lone are still under detention. They had been taken into “preventive custody” by the Centre when it abrogated Article 370 on 5 August. The issue of their detention had been brought up in Parliament even during the Monsoon Session.
The Opposition brought up the issue at an all party meeting on Sunday before the Winter Session began on Monday.
PTI quoted Chowdhury as saying, “Already a number of members have raised the issue specially about the detention of Farooq Abdullah. He should be allowed to attend the discussion in the House.”