Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday asserted that the situation in Kashmir is completely normal while adding that not a single death due to police firing was reported after the abrogation of Article 370.
Taking a swipe at the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Shah said he cannot normalise Congress’ condition as they had predicted bloodshed after the revocation of Article 370.
“As far as the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is concerned, the situation is completely normal. But, I cannot normalise the situation of Congress. Because they had said that there will be a bloodbath after the abrogation of Article 370 and the government would not be able to lift curfew from there for years. But, nothing happened,” Shah said while replying to a query raised by Congress’ Adhir Ranjan Chowdury.
Questioning Congress’ parameter for normalcy in the valley, Amit Shah quoted the instance of 99.5 per cent students attending exams in Kashmir, 7 lakh people availing OPD services in Srinagar, curfew and Section 144 being removed from the Union Territory and finally the Block Development Council (BDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
“But for Adhir ji (Adhir Ranjan) only parameter for normalcy is political activity,” the Home Minister lashed out.
Speaking on the detention of politicians, Amit Shah said that the Government does not want to keep them even a day extra in jail and added that the leaders will be released when the administration thinks it is the right time.
Shah then cited Farooq Abdullah’s father Sheikh Abdullah’s detention for 11 years when the Congress was in power.
“Farooq Abdullah’s father was kept in jail for 11 years by Congress. We don’t want to follow them. As soon as the administration decides, they will be released,” he said.
“We don’t want to follow their (Congress) path. Whenever J&K administration finds feasible condition, it will release them. We don’t interfere in the functioning of the administration like them (Congress),” he added.
The Centre had earlier while justifying the imposition of restrictions on Kashmir post-August 5, told the Supreme Court that political leaders in Kashmir instigated an uprising propagating anti-India sentiments through several public speeches.
The apex court was told that the opposition leaders referred to local militants as “sons of the soil”.
After Article 370 of the Constitution was abrogated on August 5, three former chief ministers including Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar Abdulla and Mehbooba Mufti were placed under house arrest.
Omar Abdullah was detained in Hari Niwas while Farooq Abdullah at his home on Gupta Road in Srinagar under PSA (Public Safety Act).
Besides, at least 50 politicians from Kashmir have been detained at Centaur Hotel situated along the banks of Dal Lake in Srinagar.