Leaders in J&K condemn AAP MLA's detention under PSA

Jammu, Sep 9 (IANS) Politicians across party lines in Jammu and Kashmir, except the BJP, are criticising the detention of Mehraj Malik, MLA Doda, under the Public Safety Act (PSA).

Malik was detained on Monday under the PSA, and the Deputy Commissioner of Doda informed the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly about the MLA’s detention.

In his communication to the Assembly Speaker, the Deputy Commissioner said that Mehraj Malik had been booked under the provisions of the PSA as his activities were prejudicial to the maintenance of public order.

The Speaker’s secretariat later clarified that the information had been given by the concerned Deputy Commissioner to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly under the laid down procedure, but this did not in any manner mean that the Speaker had endorsed the MLA’s detention.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, former CM Mehbooba Mufti, and leaders of the NC and the PDP vehemently opposed the legislator’s detention, and said that PSA should not have been invoked against the MLA.

In his comment on X, leader of People’s Conference and MLA from Handwara constituency of Kupwara district, Sajad Lone said, “For the sake of information. Till date up to 25000 Kashmiris have been detained under PSA since it was “invented” as a law in 1978 by Sheikh Sahib. MLAs were routinely detained under the PSA. My father was detained multiple times under the PSA as a sitting MLA. So were many other MLAs.”

Congress MLA from the Kreeri Wagora constituency of Baramulla district, Irfan Hafeez Lone, also condemned Malik’s detention. Lone said on X, “PSA against MLA violates the Constitution's basic structure, amounts to its murder. “It assaults the Constitution's soul, democracy, rule of law, free speech, and liberty. In K. Bharti SC held Parliament cannot touch the basic structure, yet in BJP's era, its violation is routine”.

Lok Sabha member, Asaduddin Owaisi, president of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), also condemned the arrest, saying, “J&K MLA@MehrajMalikAAP’s detention under the Public Safety Act is absolutely condemnable. He is the first MLA to be detained under the draconian law, but every past & present government has misused the law against its opponents. Currently, the Union govt has detained 400 people under the PSA.”

Reports said that to check the spread of rumours, authorities have slowed down the Internet in Doda district so that miscreants are prevented from uploading objectionable content.

Malik initially supported the Omar Abdullah-led NC government when it was formed after the 2014 elections. He later decided to withdraw support from the NC government, claiming that the government was doing little to mitigate the suffering of the people.

In a recent video that went viral, Malik had used abusive and threatening language against the Doda Deputy Commissioner, who formally lodged an FIR against the MLA.

The MLA has been in the news many times in the recent past, using abusive language against doctors and government servants in his constituency.

Jammu and Kashmir has a 90-member Legislative Assembly, out of which 47 seats are in the Valley and 43 seats are in the Jammu division.

--IANS

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