Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah has been released

SOURCE: HT (www.hindustantimes.com)

Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah has been released

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference leader and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said he was finally released after 200 days of detention, but the world he had on August 5, 2000 was very different from today's world.

The former chief minister was detained along with hundreds of other politicians in August last year when the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government of Narendra Modi took over Jammu and Kashmir's special constitutional status and put the state under center. The management decided to split into two areas. Hundreds of political leaders and youths, including former chief minister Mufti Mufti and Shah Faisal, who left the Indian Administrative Service and entered politics, are still in jail.

Omar Abdullah was first detained without charge, but six months later the Public Safety Act was imposed against him. Under this law, a person can be detained for up to two years without trial. The government had accused them of influencing the public on any subject which could endanger the law and order. Omar Abdullah is believed to have been a federal minister in the BJP government led by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

Omar Abdullah's sister, Sarah Abdullah, had filed a petition in the Supreme Court alleging that his brother was kept in jail, which the Supreme Court had asked the Modi government on March 18 to state within a week. She wants to release Omar Abdullah or not and if she wants she can be released immediately.

 The court also said that if she does not release Omar Abdullah, she will begin hearing next week on a petition filed by her sister, Sarah Abdullah. The Modi government released Omar Abdullah a day before the Supreme Court expired on Saturday.

In a tweet following his release, Omar Abdullah said, "I thank all my colleagues at the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference for their continued support in times of trouble. There is a long and difficult path ahead of us, but we will all work together for the good of Jammu and Kashmir. ”

 In another tweet, he shared a photo with his parents saying, "For the first time in eight months, I had lunch with Amy." I don't remember having ever eaten better than that. "

In his first interaction with the media, the former chief minister said that his release would not be complete until all the leaders of Jammu and Kashmir were released. He said, "I hope the government will take steps to release all the leaders." He also appealed for immediate restoration of the Internet in Jammu and Kashmir.

Left leader Sitaram Yechury welcomed the release of Omar Abdullah and demanded immediate release of Mehbooba Mufti, Shah Faisal, Jammu and Kashmir and thousands of other prisoners in prisons beyond.

Source: DW