Welcoming the Supreme Court direction that allowed him to visit Jammu and Kashmir, former Chief Minister of the State and Opposition leader in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said he will meet the common people in the State and submit a report to the apex court.

Azad was earlier denied permission thrice by the administration to enter the State. He said he is concerned about the people since there are no communication facilities. “ I had put in this request for those lakhs of people. The State government has put all representatives, party leaders from Kashmir Valley and also in Jammu under detention,” he said, adding that no BJP leader is under detention.

“They (politicians) cannot raise their voice, so who will speak for the people? The government is not bothered about this section, so I put in the request before the Supreme Court,” he said

“I have mentioned in the petition that I am not going to meet family members. I will visit Kashmir on a humanitarian grounds,” Azad said. “I am thankful to the Supreme Court for permitting me to travel to Srinagar, Baramulla, Anantnag and Jammu districts. Whatever report I get from there I will present it before the Supreme Court,” he said. Azad also condemned the Centre’s decision to impose Public Safety Act on former J&K Chief Minister and Lok Sabha member Farooq Abdullah. Abdullah is under arrest at his Gupkar Road House in Srinagar. “I strongly condemn it. It is unfortunate that a former chief minister of one of the oldest political parties in Kashmir has been detained.

“Each political party, be it the Congress, the National Conference or the People’s Democratic Party in J&K, has tried its best to fight militancy. If there is no militancy today, it is because of these political parties and not the BJP,” he added.

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW