Srinagar/Feb 14 : National Conference vice president and former Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday claimed that law enforcing authorities have put him and his family, including his father and incumbent Parliament member and three time former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, have been put under house arrest by authorities.
However, police said the movement of protected persons was ‘discouraged’ on Sunday due to adverse inputs on the second anniversary of the 2019 Pulwama attack. Taking to micro blogging social networking site twitter Omar wrote “This is the ‘naya/new J&K’ after Aug 2019. We get locked up in our homes with no explanation. It’s bad enough they’ve locked my father (a sitting MP) & me in our home, they’ve locked my sister & her kids in their home as well” .
The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister also posted photographs showing police vehicles outside the gates of his residence in the Gupkar area of the city here. Omar also alleged that his house staff was not being let inside. “Chalo, your new model of democracy means that we are kept in our homes without explanation but on top of that the staff that works in the house aren’t being allowed in and then you are surprised that I’m still angry & bitter,” he wrote in yet another tweet Sunday morning.
Responding to Omar’s tweets, police said the movement of protected persons and VIPs was ‘discouraged’ due to adverse inputs on the second anniversary of the Pulwama attack. “Today is 2nd Anniversary of dreaded Lethpora Terror incident. There shall be NO ROP on ground. Due to adverse inputs, movement of VIPs/ProtectedPersons has been discouraged and all concerned were informed in advance NOT to plan a tour today (sic),” the Srinagar Police said on its official Twitter handle. However, Omar asked the police to “please tell me under which law you have detained me in my home today?”.
“You can advise me not to leave my house but you can’t force me to stay in using security as an excuse,” he said. “Please share the written communication address to me & acknowledged by me (or my office) informing us in advance of these restrictions. Surely this anniversary didn’t come as a surprise to the administration,” he said in another tweet. The NC condemned the “arbitrary detention” of the party leaders and their family.“JKNC condemns the arbitrary detention of party President Dr Farooq Abdullah, Vice President Jb @OmarAbdullah and their family at their residence in Gupkar, Srinagar. The party demands immediate lifting of these uncalled for and unlawful measures,” the party tweeted. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti had on Saturday too claimed that she was placed under house arrest ahead of her visit to the family of Athar Mushtaq — one of the three alleged militants killed in an encounter in Parimpora locality here in December last year.
In a tweet Mehbooba had said ‘Placed under house arrest as usual for trying to visit the family of Athar Mushtaq killed allegedly in a fake encounter. His father was booked under UAPA for demanding his dead body. This the normalcy GOI wants to showcase to the EU delegation visiting Kashmir (sic).”
