Farooq Abdullah freed, says won’t make any political statement for now
- 13 Mar 2020
Gulf Today Report
Former chief minister of Kashmir and Lok Sabha member, Farooq Abdullah was set free on Friday after authorities said his detention under the Public Safety Act (PSA) had been revoked.
The lawmaker had been held for seven months after New Delhi stripped the disputed region of its semi-autonomy and detained thousands of politicians and activists.
Abdullah, 82, had been confined to his residence in the main city of Srinagar since August 5 when the government split the Muslim majority state and put it under direct New Delhi rule.
An official order said the government was revoking Abdullah's detention "with immediate effect", without giving a reason.
Soon after, the parliamentarian and former state chief minister addressed supporters and thanked those "who fought for my freedom".
Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah and several other top Kashmiri politicians were among thousands taken into custody following the clampdown in Kashmir.
"I can't believe I'm free. I hope everybody else is released too. I will attend Parliament if allowed. And once I am there, I will raise the problems being faced by the people of Kashmir," Abdullah said as he thanked "all those who stood by me and raised the demand for my release," he said.
"I will answer no questions nor will I make any political statements till everyone is released. Only when they are released, then I will be able to talk about political matters. I am grateful to you that you have been standing for many hours outside this gate and thank god this gate is open," he added.
The Abdullahs and other politicians were detained under the stringent Public Safety Act that has been condemned by rights groups because suspects can be held for up to two years without appearing in court.
Omar Abdullah, also a former chief minister, and hundreds of others remain in detention, many outside the territory in other Indian states.
New Delhi locked down the region following the August move, bringing in tens of thousands of troops into the already heavily militarised territory.
Restricted Internet access was allowed in late January after a blackout lasting almost six months.
The security lockdown and detentions have drawn international criticism including by the European Union and the United States.
The fighting has left tens of thousands dead since 1989, mostly civilians. India has more than 500,000 troops in Kashmir.
