Senior leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were on Thursday not allowed to leave their residences in Kashmir to attend the party’s first meeting at its headquarters in Srinagar since August 5 last year.
“I was stopped by policemen manning my house from coming out of my residence. The government tells the Supreme Court (SC) and the world community that political leaders are free but the reality is completely opposite. This is denial of the basic democratic right to peaceful assembly within the confines of our office. House detention has become our routine,” former minister and PDP leader Nayeem Akhtar told The Hindu.
PDP general secretary Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura had called a party meeting “to discuss the present situation in J&K and chalk out the future strategy”. He had sought permission from the Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, and Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, for the meeting.
“If there is a detention order against us, please show it. Why are we not being allowed?” Mr. Lone, who was stopped at the gate of his residence, said.
Sources said the Srinagar administration, in reply to the party application, had asked the PDP to refer to COVID-19 standard operating procedures before organising any meeting.
No meeting of the PDP, whose president Mehbooba Mufti remains in detention, has been allowed by the administration in the last 13 months. However, the National Conference (NC) was recently allowed to hold party meetings in Srinagar, after the intervention of the High Court.
Only the J&K Apni Party and the BJP have been holding party meetings in Kashmir without any hindrance.
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