It’s a question of civil liberty, says Saifuddin Soz

SRINAGAR/DELHI: Veteran Congress politician Saifuddin Soz said on Thursday that it is "a question of civil liberty" that he has to "seek permission to step out" of his house from the police and civil authorities. Soz did, however, say was "allowed to visit New Delhi twice last year" along with his wife, Mumtazunnisa Soz, for medical reasons, and that he was also permitted to visit his ailing sister in Srinagar thrice this year, "but under police escort".
"I wish that the Supreme Court should summon me before its bench so that I can relate the truth of civil liberty," Soz said.
Sources in the J&K police, meanwhile, cited concerns about security and Covid-19 protocol while explaining why he needed to approach the UT administration for permission to travel, while J&K principal secretary Rohit Kansal tweeted to say "Mr Saifuddin Soz former MP and minister not under arrest or detention (sic)". Kansal said Soz had been to Delhi twice — in October and December. "Free to go wherever he likes with usual security drill. No question of lying in Hon SC (sic)," Kansal tweeted.
Soz’s statements to TOI came a day after a video showing him being prevented by police from leaving his house went viral and after the government told the Supreme Court that he was not detained and had never been put under house arrest. "The government deposed before the SC that I am a free person. But here these people (the police) do not accept that and say that they have directions from the top. You can see for yourself how a citizen’s freedom is being snatched," Soz says in the video. He adds, "I am going to court again with this kind of treatment meted out to me."
On Thursday, he told TOI: "I have always believed in the Indian Constitution and never ever spread any hatred in my addresses and speeches, and still the authorities see a threat in my moving as a free man of this free India."
"It is an irony that I have to seek permission to step out of my house," Soz said. He added that he was not, however, allowed to visit Delhi on January 26 this year when his wife, Mumtazunnisa, was allowed to travel alone. "I had to lose my ticket," he said.
"Surprisingly, they lied in their affidavit that I am not under detention. Today it was proved through a video which went viral on social media showing the behaviour of the police," Soz said.
Sources in the J&K police said Soz has been wanting to travel to Delhi with his wife for medical reasons but that he is required to approach the local administration before travel. The local police will evaluate the request based on security grounds and in line with Covid-19 health protocols, the sources said. Many leaders, including Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah, did so recently and were granted clearance to travel to Delhi.
Earlier, in the Supreme Court, the solicitor general had shown the bench two travel tickets on which Soz had traveled to Delhi and also shared with the court the log book maintained by security personnel deployed at Soz’s residence to show that he had been regularly meeting relatives and others. The effort was to show that had Soz actually been under detention, he would not have been allowed to meet anyone.
The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress strongly condemned the police action against Soz on Thursday when he tried to step out of his residence following the government's statement before the Supreme Court that there were no restrictions on his movement. He had been forcibly pulled back and not allowed to step out of the gate to his home.
JKPCC chief G A Mir said it was "most unfortunate" that a veteran politician was treated in this manner when only a few days ago the government had told the Supreme Court that there were no restrictions on his movement. "Today’s episode has falsified the claims of the government for which the Hon’ble Court is the only hope," Mir said.
(With inputs from Delhi)