NC leader Hial Lone booked under UAPA for ‘hate speech’

SRINAGAR : National Conference (NC) leader Hilal Lone, son of MP Akbar Lone, was arrested in Bandipora on Tuesday and under UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act) for alleged hate speech made during the district development council (DDC) elections in December. Akbar Lone has termed the police action against his son as “unlawful”.

Police said Hilal Lone was under detention and has now been formally arrested. “He has been arrested now based on an FIR registered in January,” said Rahul Malik, senior superintendent of police, Bandipora.

Malik claimed that Lone made hate speech and passed derogatory remarks during the DDC elections in December last year. “It has the potential to disturb peace and tranquil in the area as well as among the community,” he said. The SSP did not specify against whom the said remarks were targeted. “The case has been registered under relevant sections of the UAPA as well as Indian Penal Code,” he said. However, Akbar Lone, Lok Sabha member from Baramulla constituency, said his son was under detention for over a month and has been arrested now “unlawfully for no fault of his own”.

The charges against Hilal elicited sharp reactions from former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti.

“The BJP has a completely different standard when it comes to hate speech from its own leaders. They can call for hands to be cut off, people to be murdered and it’s fine. Hilal Lone makes a speech and antiterror laws are used to book him,” said Omar in a tweet.

Mehbooba said the government of India continues to “shamelessly book Kashmiri mainstream leaders under UAPA for hate speech”.