Farooq's sister, daughter among thirteen women protestors jailed

Booked for ‘beaching peace’, sent to Central jail

SRINAGAR: Sister and daughter of former chief minister and incumbent parliamentarian, Dr. Farooq Abdullah were among at least 13 women who were arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir Police on Tuesday after they staged a protest here against the abrogation of provisions of Article 370 and bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into union territories.
Many other participants, who took out a march, were also detained by police.
Suraiya Mattoo and Safiya Abdullah Khan, respectively sister and daughter of Abdullah and the aunt and sister of Omar Abdullah, who were leading a group of around 20 prominent women, were first detained and later arrested by the police, officials confirmed.
Official sources said that the protesters were arrested for violating Section 144, barring assembly of more than four persons.
“Legal action has been initiated against them. The protesters were booked under Section 107 for breaching the peace,” they told The News Now.
“Police produced the arrested women before a magistrate who sent them to the Central Jail,” Deputy Inspector General, Central Kashmir VK Birdi was quoted saying.
Saying that such measures would further alienate the people and delay restoration of normalcy in the valley, the National Conference (NC) condemned the arrests, and sought the immediate revocation of detention of political leaders and common citizens, including Abdullah's kin.
On Tuesday, the women assembled at Srinagar’s Pratap Park to stage a sit-in protest. However, police reached the spot and tried to disperse the women protesters.
They were carrying placards which read, 'Kashmiri brides not for sale', 'Why downgrade Jammu and Kashmir state'.
Soon after they came out from Pratap Park, the women protesters led by the Suraiya and Safiya who wore a black band, expressed resentment against the police officials for disallowing them from staging a sit-in.
Suraiya said that the protest was organized to seek answer from the government about the humiliation being faced by the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“We have been humiliated and we want the government to answer about this humiliation. We should have been allowed to express our views and anger against the government decision. We have been betrayed,” she told media persons.
“Our rights have been snatched and we want the government to give back our rights,” she said.
"We want to know the fate of those who have been detained, that's why we are protesting," said Muslim Jan, an academician.
"The government of India is telling the world that we are happy, somebody should speak to us to find out how we are feeling, we are not happy, there are restrictions in Kashmir, we are highlighting those issues," said Hawa Bashir, an academician. Bashir is wife of former judge Bashir Khan and sister of ex-member of parliament Shameem Ahmad Shameem.
Suraiya further stated that the government is afraid of releasing the leaders who are caged from last 72 days in Kashmir.
“The government will not release the leaders in Kashmir as they are afraid of these leaders. There is fear among people as well as the government is not even allowing a silent protests,” she said.
The Public Safety Act has been slapped against Farooq who is lodged in his house, G-40, at Srinagar's posh Gupkar Road.
Earlier his daughter Safiya had put up a black flag, seemingly as mark of protest against the revocation of special status of J&K outside her house.
Farooq's son and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is detained in Hari Niwas. Farooq's brother and senior National Conference leader Mustafa Kamal has been detained at his home.
Moments after the women protesters spoke to the media, the police swung into action and took them away to the nearby police station.
Later in the day, the NC condemned the arrest of party president’s sister and daughter, saying such measures would further alienate the people and delay restoration of normalcy in the valley.
The NC said such harsh measures would further alienate the people and delay restoration of normalcy in Kashmir, which was reeling under "fear psychosis and a sense of insecurity" among the people.
"Being kin of former chief ministers should not entail political victimisation, leading to curtailment of liberty and freedom of movement and speech," senior NC leaders said in a joint statement, issued from party headquarters Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan here.
The National Conference leaders expressed regret over the continued detention of political leaders and common citizens, saying the situation had touched the lowest depths and even the liberty of relatives of those in public life was under severe threat.
"The detention of Suraiya Mattoo and Safiya Abdullah Khan reflect the sad state of affairs the state is in for the past over 70 days," the statement said.


Updated On 10/16/2019 10:00:46 AM