The district magistrate, Kathua, on Monday stopped Punjab’s Sangrur MP Simranjit Singh Mann from entering the territory of Jammu and Kashmir as the administration had apprehensions that his visit might disturb public tranquility.
District Magistrate Rahul Pandey promulgated Dection 144 crpc to restrain Mann from entering J&K.
Mann was stopped at Lakhanpur as soon as he entered Lakhanpur in Kathua district that is gateway to J&K from Punjab.
Action of the DM has triggered protest by his supporters who reached Lakhanpur and shouted slogans.
DM Rahul Pandey, in his order issued under section 144 CrPC, said it has been brought into his notice by Senior Superintendent of Police, Kathua that Mann is scheduled to enter into the Union Territory from Lakhanpur, the gateway to J&K bordering Punjab, and his visit is likely to cause “disturbance in public tranquillity”.
“Therefore, I, in exercise of the powers vested in me under section 144 CrPC do hereby prohibit Mann from entering the jurisdiction of Kathua,” Pandey said in his order.
Criticising the action of Kathua district administration, Mann said “I am a Sikh which is the reason that BJP and RSS did not allow my entry into Jammu and Kashmir.” “There is no legislature in J&K which is under military rule. There is no democracy… I have come to visit the people of Kashmir to see myself what is happening there post abrogation of Article370. I want to highlight the real picture to the outside world,” he said.
Till filing of the report at night, Mann was insisting that he be either arrested or allowed to proceed to Jammu where he was scheduled to participate in some public meetings.