Mehbooba urges special Assembly session to condemn detention of AAP MLA under PSA

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday urged Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather to convene a special session to condemn the detention of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator Mehraj Malik under the Public Safety Act (PSA). Meanwhile, the situation in Doda district, which witnessed protests in support of Mr. Malik, is gradually returning to normalcy.

“I urge Hon’ble Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather to call a special Assembly session to condemn the PSA and arrest of MLA Mehraj Malik. A resolution can put pressure on the Centre government to release Malik and protect all MLAs from future targeting. Also, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah should extend legal aid to thousands of poor Kashmiris languishing in jails across India. They need it the most,” Ms. Mufti said.

Describing the detention of the AAP MLA as “an attack on democratic values and institutions”, she said, “The J&K government should have resolved the matter through legislative procedures rather than placing an elected representative behind bars. Invoking PSA against an MLA is unacceptable.”

She pressed for a joint resolution through the Assembly to be sent to Delhi. “That is how democracy functions. Undermining democratic institutions by targeting elected leaders is sheer injustice,” Ms. Mufti said.

Highlighting the plight of youth lodged in prisons in Tihar, Agra, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, she said, “They need to be offered legal help.”

Referring to the AAP’s stand on the abrogation of Article 370 and the recent detention of AAP MP Sanjay Singh during his Kashmir visit, Ms. Mufti remarked, “Those who supported the abrogation of Article 370 are now facing its consequences. The AAP voted for its removal in 2019, claiming it was good for J&K. Today it has realised the reality.”

The BJP criticised Ms. Mufti’s remarks. “Ms. Mufti has to keep her party alive. She always picks up such sensitive issues. But what we want for Jammu and Kashmir is very clear: children should be in schools, youth should be excelling in sports, businessmen should be growing their enterprises, and the poor should be given opportunities to build their future, not misled into endless unrest,” BJP MP Gulam Ali Khatana said.

“What have they done in the last 30–40 years? Graveyards have multiplied, there are countless widows and thousands of children have been orphaned. This is the harsh truth of their so-called leadership,” he added.

Meanwhile, the situation in Doda, which has remained tense since Mr. Malik’s arrest on September 8, is showing signs of improvement. An official said prohibitory orders had been relaxed in many parts of the district for the second consecutive day on Saturday. Restrictions on movement were lifted between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m., “during which no untoward incident was reported”.

“The situation is normal in Doda. Friday prayers went incident-free. In this backdrop, shops in the interiors of Doda have been allowed to reopen. However, restrictions under Section 163, prohibiting assembly of more than four people, will remain in place in the main markets,” said Sandeep Mehta, Senior Superintendent of Police, Doda.

Hundreds of supporters of Mr. Malik had taken to the streets following his arrest under the PSA. The detention came a day after the MLA allegedly used unparliamentary language against local Deputy Commissioner Harvinder Singh on social media.