Farooq Abdullah meets son Omar after seven months in detention
Azad meets NC chief, demands release of other leaders, early elections in J&K
J&K will not see development if you put leaders in cage-like parrots. You have to release them and start a political process... — Ghulam Nabi Azad, Cong leader
Senior Congress leader and former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Saturday said that “restoration of democracy” in Jammu and Kashmir is prerequisite for staring a political process in the erstwhile state.
He said, to begin with, the government should release all political leaders and activists detained in August last year when the Centre abrogated Article 370 and bifurcated J&K into two Union Territories (UTs). He also demanded restoration of J&K’s statehood, saying that splitting it up into UTs was an “insult” of its people.
Earlier during the day, Mr Abdullah, along with his wife Molly and daughter Safia Khan and her children, met his incarcerated son Omar, who is lodged at Srinagar’s Hari Niwas guesthouse declared as a ‘subsidiary’ jail in August last year.
Though senior Abdullah did not say anything about it, the sources close to him said that it was an emotional meeting between him and his son. His wife and daughter equally felt poignant during the meet.
After meeting National Conference (NC) president and three-time chief minister at his residence here, a day after he was released from a 32-week-long detention, Mr Azad said, “The restoration of democracy is the first and foremost requirement for any political process to start with.”
“Political process is the basis of democracy. India is famous in the world for its democracy and not size but you cannot call it democracy when three former chief ministers are jailed for seven and a half months and a fourth one (he himself) can come here and go back only after seeking permission from Supreme Court...ministers, legislators and office-bearers of small and big political parties have been incarcerated too,” he added.
He said that setting these political detainees free and restoring J&K’s statehood will set off a political process which will also salvage it from its troubles and ensure development.
“J&K will not see development if you put leaders in cage-like parrots. You have to release them and start a political process which will facilitate elections and whosoever is elected to power will take it on to the path of development,” he said.
Mr Abdullah, who was standing next to him at the impromptu presser, said that since he spoke to media soon after his release he will allow only Mr Azad to speak. Mr Abdullah had said on Friday that his “freedom” was “incomplete” until and unless all other political prisoners are also released from detention. He, however, refused to make any political statement, saying, “I will not answer any questions or speak on any political issue till everyone is released”. He further said that the future course of action by him would be devised only after “everyone is free”.
Mr Abdullah had on Friday had requested the J&K authorities that he be allowed to see his son for the first time in more than seven months. The permission was granted and he and other family members drove to Hari Niwas to spend about an hour with junior Abdullah, an official said.