Post 370, J&K, Ladakh integrated into mainstream post 370: Centre

PDP leaders protest govt claim of no house arrest

JAMMU: The Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh have been fully integrated into the mainstream of the nation after the abrogation of Article 370, the government told Lok Sabha Tuesday.
Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy also said the benefits of all central laws that were being enjoyed by other citizens of the country are now available to the people of Jammu and Kashmir too.
After the constitutional changes and reorganisation of the erstwhile state of J&K, the two union territories have been fully integrated into the mainstream of the nation, he said in a written reply to a question.
Reddy said the change has brought about socioeconomic development in both the new UTs.
These changes empowered people, removed unjust laws, brought in equity and fairness to those discriminated against for ages. These changes are ushering both the new Union Territories towards the path of peace and progress, he said.
The government also said 223 people are currently under detention in Jammu and Kashmir and no one is under house arrest.
Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy said the government of Jammu and Kashmir has reported that after the abrogation of Article 370 in August last year various measures were taken to maintain public order which included preventive detention of certain persons.
"As on September 11, 2020, 223 persons are under detention. No person is under house arrest in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir," he said in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha.
However, Valley-based politicians termed the government's claims 'lies', saying many of them have been placed under house arrest for several months.
PDP leader Waheed Ur Rahman took to Twitter and said the government was "blatantly" lying in the Parliament.
"It has now been 7 months of house arrest and 6 months of detention for many of us, since 5 August, 2019," Rahman said.
Senior PDP leader and former Education Minister Naeem Akhtar said: "There are many categories of lies. Lies, white lies, Data, Judicial lies(spoken on oath), Parliamentary lies: This government excels in all."
Last week, PDP leaders posted their videos on social media as they were not allowed by their security guards to move out of their homes, saying they were under detention. The government has been maintaining, however, these politicians are not in detention.
Senior Congress leader Saifuddin Soz has been repeatedly saying that he is still being held in detention by the Jammu and Kashmir administration while the government insists “he is a free man”.
Reddy also said after the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019, the number of terrorist incidents have reduced significantly.
From June 29, 2018 to August 4, 2019 (402 days), there were 455 terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir and from August 5, 2019 to September 9 (402 days), a total of 211 such incidents took place in the newly created Union Territory.