SNS KASHMIR
Baramulla:Additional Spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mohmmad Rafique Rather on Saturday said that he and several district leaders of the party were detained by the Baramulla Police. This action comes just ahead of the fourth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
Among those detained are Zonal President Ghulam Rasool Bhat aka Bita of Sheeri , Vice Zonal President Sheeraz Mir, Youth President Sajad Bashir Lone, and Mehraj Rather. The detained leaders were reportedly taken to the Delina, and Sheeri Police Stations.
Additionally, the PDP claimed that the entire party leadership from South and Central Kashmir had been arrested during night raids and were being held in various police stations.The PDP had sought proper permission from the Srinagar administration to hold a peaceful program to mark the anniversary and protest against the abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A.
However, their request was denied, while the BJP was allowed to conduct celebrations in support of the abrogation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.Reacting to the situation, the detained PDP leader, Mohammad Rafique Rather, issued a statement , stating that the actions of the government exposed their false claims about normalcy in the region.
Moreover, the party criticized the government’s contrasting approach towards the situation. They pointed out that giant hoardings celebrating the abrogation of Article 370 were put up across Srinagar, while the government used brute force to suppress the genuine sentiments of the people.
The PDP leaders expressed hope that the Honorable Supreme Court would take cognizance of the developments, especially when Article 370 is up for hearing.The detentions have sparked concerns over the government’s handling of dissenting voices and raised questions about the state of democratic rights in the region.
The situation is likely to be closely monitored by civil society and legal activists, as it underscores the ongoing tensions surrounding the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.