SC allows Azad to visit four districts of J&K
Asked not to indulge in any political rally or activity
NEWDELHI:SENIOR Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad was on Monday allowed by the Supreme Court to visit four districts in Jammu and Kashmir for assessing the impact on life of daily wagers due to the present situation prevailing after abrogation of Article 370.
The top court noted Azad’s submission that he will not indulge in any political rally or political activity during his visit.
A bench of chief justice Ranjan Gogoi and justices S A Bobde and S Abdul Nazeer issued a notice to the Centre and the J&K administration, and sought their response within two weeks on other issues raised in the petition.
The bench allowed Azad to visit Srinagar, Anantnag, Baramulla and Jammu districts of the state subject to any restrictions, if any.
“We permit the petitioner to go to Srinagar and visit the following districts, subject to restrictions, if any:-(i) Srinagar, (ii) Anantnag, (iii) Baramulla and (iv) Jammu. “The petitioner has undertaken before the court on his own volition that he will not indulge in any political rally or political activity during his visit,” the bench said. “The visit will solely be concerned with making an assessment of the impact of the present situation on the life of the daily wage earners, if any,” it said.senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the former CM said he is at present a MP from the state and needs to meet the people.
“I have a fundamental right to meet the people of my state and my constituency and know about their well-being,” Singhvi said on behalf of Azad.
There are no orders “prohibiting” Azad from entering the state. If there are no such orders, then under what under provisions can they deny him entry into his state, Singhvi said.
‘WANT TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE IN J&K, WILL SUBMIT REPORT TO SC’
Ghulam Nabi Azad said it will be a “humanitarian” trip to reach out to common people and he will submit a report to the apex court on his return. Azad also accused the state and Centre of not being bothered about the people.
Azad said he is concerned about lines of communication disrupted in J&K, but is more worried about the common people and how they are earning a living. “For those lakhs of people, I had put in this request because the state government has put all representatives, party leaders from Kashmir and also in Jammu under detention,” he said.
“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,” the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha told reporters.