Srinagar, Sep 11: High drama unfolded at the Circuit House on Thursday after former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah was stopped from meeting AAP MP Sanjay Singh, who had been placed under house arrest to prevent him from protesting the detention of party MLA Mehraj Malik under the Public Safety Act (PSA).
The two leaders were separated by a locked gate, with Abdullah calling it a “direct assault on constitutional values.” Singh, perched on a plastic chair inside the premises, argued with police: “He’s a former Chief Minister! I’m a Member of Parliament! What’s the crime? Are you saying two MPs can’t even exchange pleasantries?”
Abdullah expressed frustration, saying, “There is an elected government, but it looks like strings are being operated by the Lieutenant Governor. Protesting is a constitutional right, but the LG is abusing his powers.”
Later, Abdullah said the incident reflected the “destruction of the Constitution,” stressing that Singh had only come to show solidarity with Malik. “There was no stoning, no bombing. They came for a peaceful protest, but even that was not allowed,” he said, adding the police were “acting on orders from above.”
He criticised Malik’s detention under PSA as an “overreaction,” noting, “Sometimes a person says things in anger and later regrets. But you locked him up. This will only anger people more, as seen in Doda.” He urged the government to engage in dialogue rather than harsh measures.
Abdullah also linked the unrest to the situation at Hazratbal shrine, terming the government’s decision to place a national emblem there as “provocative and diversionary.”
Shifting to broader concerns, Abdullah criticised rising inflation and the struggling tourism sector. “Hoteliers and operators have taken loans. With rising interest rates, they will drown. Instead of addressing these issues, the government is creating more trouble,” he said.
On foreign policy, he targeted Prime Minister Modi’s ties with then US President Donald Trump, pointing to high tariffs on Indian goods. “Is this what a friend does? Every nation puts itself first. We must also think—India first,” he remarked.
Abdullah also highlighted the delay in Rajya Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir, questioning the government’s commitment to constitutional obligations. “If those in power don’t respect the Constitution, what can Farooq Abdullah say?” he concluded.
