“Don’t have any time period for J&K Politicians Will Be Detained”: Ajit Doval
NEW DELHI : National Security Advisor Ajit Doval told today that the government had no specific time plan in place for the release of detained politicians in Jammu and Kashmir, while also stating the centre had sought to ensure “no human right has been violated”. Mr Doval added that the safety of people living in the region was a priority,
While talking to NDTV Mr Doval “Don’t have any time period in place as to how long political leaders will be detained. We don’t want anyone to get hurt, but things and situation on ground is getting better. We have been very careful about the entire situation. No human right has been violated,” Mr Doval claimed.
In another interview to India Today he said around 2,500 suspected trouble makers were detained by the security forces in the Kashmir Valley after the government’s decision to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution but several of them have been released now.
“The security forces had detained these 2,500 persons from the Kashmir Valley who could have tried to create trouble there. The NSA made it clear that there has been no use of third-degree methods in controlling the trouble makers or political detainees.
He said there was no question of atrocities by the Army in the Valley as only Jammu and Kashmir Police and some central forces are handling the public order. Ajit Doval clarified that the Indian Army is there to fight terrorists.
In an interaction with media persons including Indian and foreign groups, the NSA said he was totally convinced that the majority of Kashmiris support the abrogation of Article 370. He said the Kashmiris see greater opportunities, future, economic progress and employment opportunities and only a few miscreants are opposing it.
He also clarified that out of 199 police station areas in Jammu and Kashmir, only 10 have prohibitory orders in place and the rest have no restrictions. 100 per cent landline connections are operational in the state, he added.
Nearly 400 political leaders, including former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah, were either arrested or placed under house arrest as part of a stringent security lockdown imposed after the centre withdrew special status under Article 370 to Jammu and Kashmir
“Everything is done according to the framework of law. They can challenge their detention in court. None of them have been charged with criminal offence or sedition, they are in preventive custody till environment is created for democracy to function, which I believe may happen soon,” the NSA was quoted in a report by news agency ANI.
Last month Ms Mufti’s daughter, Sana Iltija Javed, wrote to Home Minister Amit Shah, stating she was worried about her mother’s health, having not been able to contact her. She challenged her mother’s detention and wrote: “Kashmiris have been caged like animals and deprived of basic human rights.”Earlier this week the Supreme Court ordered that she be allowed to meet her mother.
Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien are also among those who have turned back from visiting Jammu and Kashmir, with the opposition accusing the centre of “muzzling” its voices. Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said “every Indian democrat” would stand with “mainstream” leaders of the state”.
In August the list of people to have been detained grew to include Shah Faesal, an IAS official who quit the service in January to protest the “marginalization of Indian Muslims”. “I don’t believe they (political leaders like Ms Mufti) will be released anytime soon,” an official with the Jammu and Kashmir administration said on August 28.
(With input from Agencies).
