Srinagar: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah was stopped by the administration from offering prayers at Srinagar’s Hazratbal shrine on the occasion of Milad-un-Nabi, his party the National Conference claimed in a tweet.
The National Conference tweeted that it “condemns this infringement of fundamental right to pray, especially on the auspicious occasion of Milad Un Nabi Saw.”
“J&K administration has blocked the residence of party president Dr Farooq Abdullah and stopped him from offering prayers at Dargah Hazratbal. JKNC condemns this infringement of fundamental right to pray, especially on the auspicious occasion of Milad Un Nabi Saw,” the National Conference tweeted.
Mr Abdullah had been under arrest since the government scrapped special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution and divided the state into two Union Territories in August last year. The former chief minister was released only in March this year, days before the lockdown necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic was announced.
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti in a tweet today criticised the administration for allegedly stopping Mr Abdullah from reaching the shrine.
“Preventing Farooq sahab from offering prayers on Milad Un Nabi Saw at Hazratbal exposes GOI’s (government of India) deep paranoia and their iron fist approach towards J&K. It’s a gross violation of our rights and is highly condemnable,” Ms Mufti tweeted about her latest colleague in the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration, a newly minted group that includes Sajjad Lone to fight for restoration of Article 370 and resolution of Kashmir.
Ms Mufti was stopped and turned back midway on Thursday while she was going to meet party leaders who have been detained by the police for protesting against new land laws in Jammu and Kashmir.
Sources said indirectly restraining the two former chief ministers from meeting people in large numbers could be part of ongoing curbs for security reasons.
NDTV
