Srinagar- The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Friday extended the detention of PDP president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti by three months under the Public Safety Act.
Mufti was among hundreds of people who were arrested hours ahead of the Centre revoking special status of the Jammu and Kashmir and breaking the state into two union territories on August 5 last year.
The current detention order of the former chief minister was expiring on August 5 this year.
According to an order issued by the Home Department, Mufti will continue to remain under detention for another three months at her official residence at Fairview Bungalow, which has been declared a subsidiary jail.
“The law enforcing agencies have recommended further extension in the period of detention and on examination, the same is considered to be necessary,” the order reads.
Most of the other mainstream politicians, including Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah, have been released from custody.
Reacting to the extension of Mehbooba’s detention, her daughter Iltija Mufti said a petition challenging her detention was pending before the Supreme Court since February.
“I’d like to confirm media reports that Ms Mufti’s PSA has been extended until November 2020. The petition challenging her unlawful detention has been pending in SC since 26th February. Where does one seek justice?” she tweeted from her mother’s handle.
Meanwhile, a PDP spokesman said they will not be cowed down into submission and such “vindictive measures” will not deter the party from pursuing its core agenda.
He termed the extension of Mehbooba’s detention a highly “undemocratic, unconstitutional and inhuman approach” of the government.
“Such measures are aimed to intimidate. They will have far-reaching consequences and are bound to only increase the level of alienation and frustration among the people who had been plundered of their identity last year on August 5,”he added.
The spokesman found it “bizarre” that the government is hell-bent to hound the PDP president through such illegal, unethical and undemocratic measures , while a petition against her detention is pending in the SC for the past six months.
No quantum of pressure and intimidation can push us into submission and to give up on our resolve to fight for the honour and dignity of the people of J&K, he said.
It is ironic, he said, that the BJP still believes in the efficacy of these methods and is trying to repeat the old mistakes which will be meaningless and will prove counterproductive.
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