NC urges J&K guv to let party delegation meet Farooq & Omar Abdullah

As the National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah and vice-president Omar Abdullah are under preventive custody since the revocation of Article 370, almost fifty days ago, their party members have written to J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik. The NC members and leaders have urged the governor to allow a delegation of senior party leaders from Jammu to meet Farooq and Omar Abdullah. Omar Abdullah is put under detention in the Hari Niwas Palace in Srinagar's Gupkar Road. While his father Farooq Abdullah has been detained under the  Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act (PSA).

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An NC spokesman declared in a meeting convened by senior leaders based in Jammu at the Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan, that the will chalk out its future course of action after meeting the top leadership. He also said that the party has taken a detailed review of the political situation in the state, he said. In a resolution unanimously adopted at the meeting, the National Conference leaders pledged to strengthen bonds of communal harmony, unity, togetherness and inclusive democratic polity. They said that it is a long-cherished agenda set for the state by Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, the spokesman said.

"It also pledged to strive for strengthening the bonds of unity so that the pristine glory of Jammu and Kashmir is restored. The meeting placed on record the role played by the National Conference during most testing times in maintaining and sustaining democratic and secular ethos of the state and pledged to work to safeguard the interests of the people of the state so that they are not deprived of rights and privileges," he said.

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While reiterating that dissent was the core of democracy, NC leaders expressed concern over the situation in the state. It sought immediate release of all the political leaders, withdrawal of restrictions on free movement and expression. It said that the administration must ensure liberty by restoring democracy, the spokesman said. The party leaders expressed anguish over continued detention of senior leaders, including Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah, as also the other top leaders of the mainstream political parties, he added. 

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J&K HC allows NC MP to meet Farooq, Omar Abdullah

Earlier, the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir has permitted two Members of Parliament (MP) of the J&K National Conference (JKNC) party to meet Omar Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah but has imposed some restrictions on them. The HC has prohibited the MPs from talking to media after they have met the leader of the JKNC.  Additional Advocate General Javed Iqbal and the Advocate General DC Raina highlighted in the hearing that the petitioners were not restricted from meeting their party leaders. “The meeting shall be related to a courtesy call and to know about the well being of the persons under detention. After the meeting, the petitioners shall not go the press to share details and deliberations with the detained leaders,” the court said.

(with PTI inputs)

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