SRINAGAR: The continuous detention of Mushatq-ul-Islam, under draconian Public Safety Act (PSA) is highly condemnable. One can ask the government that under which law he has been booked again that too consecutively for 11th time since his arrest?
Authorities may disagree with the prisoners ideology but that never means his basic and fundamental rights can be muzzled at any cost. In the present case fundamental rights of the detained Muslim league activist have been stifled beyond the permissible limits under law. It is unwarranted and undemocratic also.
Slapping PSA against him 11th time in a row puts a question mark on the grounds of detention for which he has been detained for so long. The government must come clean on the issue otherwise it seems the authorities at the helm have no sufficient grounds to face his proper trial in the court of law.
Unfortunately the misuse of PSA in Kashmir has contributed negatively in incrementing the level of alienation among the people. Youth have been the worst victims of this imperialistic law. A huge number of people mostly comprising of youth have been booked even for trivial reasons which the authorities later fail to prove in the court.
Holding hundreds of people each year without charge or trial under PSA is just uncalled for tendency on part of the government which needs a course correction.
Even Amnesty International, a human rights watchdog has described PSA a lawless law in its recent report which says the number of people detained under the PSA over the past two decades range from 8,000-20,000, with 322 reportedly held from January to September 2010 alone.
It is a consistent opinion of our party that this law has been essentially misused to gag the voice of opposition as well as voices of dissent. Authorities use this law where they know they cant or wont try people through proper legal channels. The government should take an urgent call on the issue and release all the prisoners who have been booked under this law without any solid rhyme or reason.
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