AIMIM MLA Waris Pathan detained in Mumbai, allegedly over offering special prayer for Kashmir

AIMIM Maharashtra MLA Waris Pathan was on Friday detained by the Mumbai Police allegedly over offering a prayer for the people of Kashmir and Kolhapur flood victims at a mosque in Madanpura in Byculla.

In a video, Waris Pathan can be seen offering prayers with a group of others in the open: 

Expressing concern, the Mumbai-based advocate says " It has been 11 days since the people of Kashmir have been bereft of any modes of communication, be it telephone or Internet. I have Kashmiri guards who do not know if their family in Kashmir celebrated Eid, whether their wives and children have eaten a meal or not. I am praying for the welfare of those people, I hope God keeps them safe and sound"

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam on Friday announced that the J&K administration is planning to relax some of the restrictions, including on the movement of people, and restoration telephone lines in a phased and orderly way.

The top official also said that schools will reopen next week and that the offices of the Jammu and Kashmir government in the Valley are functioning normally.

Government of India abrogates Article 370:

The Narendra Modi government on August 5 revoked Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Both the upper house and the lower house of the Parliament approved the resolution abrogating Article 370 for J&K and a bill to bifurcate the state into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, with Home Minister Amit Shah saying the controversial provisions were responsible for poverty and lack of development in the state.

The AIMIM has criticised the Narendra Modi-led government over the abrogation of Article 370, with party chief Asaduddin Owaisi first communalising the matter by listing the Muslim population in the state, and then also alleging, "I know this government has love for Kashmir, but not for Kashmiris. I know it has love for the land but no love for those who live there. It loves power but not justice. They only want to retain power. But I shall remind that no one lives or rules for eternity".

READ | Asaduddin Owaisi takes a communal line, asks govt to release '80 lakh Muslims' & restore communication in J&K