Former chief minister of Kashmir freed as India goes on virus lockdown
Omar Abdullah, former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, walked free on Tuesday, after nearly eight months of detention. “It’s a very different world today to the one that existed on Aug. 5, 2019,” Abdullah said in a Twitter post, minutes after his release, referring to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). He was detained along with hundreds of Kashmiri political activists after New Delhi revoked the special status and relative autonomy of Kashmir, put the region on lockdown and imposed a communications and internet blackout.
In a brief press conference in Srinagar, the National Conference (NC) leader called for the immediate release of others in preventive detention.
“Be it Mehbooba Mufti (the former chief minister) or any leader from NC, they should be freed. We are fighting a war of life and death. All our people who have been detained should be released at this time,” Abudullah said.
He also demanded the restoration of 3G and 4G networks in the region.
He refused to comment on political developments by saying that the time was not appropriate and requested that everyone “follow government orders to fight COVID-19.” Abdullah’s release comes a week after the Supreme Court’s inquiry into his detention. “If you are releasing him, then
HIGHLIGHT
Omar Abdullah calls for release of other Kashmiri activists kept in detention since Aug. 5 — says will talk about politics later as coronavirus response is first priority.
release him soon or we will hear the matter on merits,” India’s apex court told the government on March 18.
On Tuesday, the government of Jammu and Kashmir, in a brief press statement, said that the detention order of Abdullah was “revoked.”
According to politicians from India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Abdullah’s release is a “positive sign for the resumption of the demo-cratic process in the state.