Charged with PSA, Farooq Abdullah meets National Conference delegation
What's the story
National Conference patriarch Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar today met a 15-member delegation of their party, led by leader Devender Singh Rana.
The father and son, both former Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir, have been under detention for two months now.
After meeting party members, Farooq, who has been charged with the strict Public Safety Act (PSA), waved and smiled for cameras.
Context
First, a bit about the political situation of J&K
Mainstream politicians of J&K, including PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti and Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference chairman Sajjad Lone, were detained before Centre moved with Kashmir decision. It was done to keep problems away.
Shockingly, government evoked PSA on Farooq, which meant he can be detained without trial for two years.
On Saturday, J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik allowed NC delegation to meet the Abdullahs.
Meeting
Rana said Abdullahs are pained with what happened
In fact, Rana, who is the younger brother of Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, was released from house arrest just earlier this week.
He left for Srinagar this morning, along with other party colleagues.
After the meeting, he told ANI, "We are happy that they are both well and in high spirits, of course, they are pained by the developments in the state."
Twitter Post
Rana reiterated his demand of releasing mainstream politicians
Devender Rana,National Conference after meeting Farooq and Omar Abdullah: We are happy that they are both well and in high spirits, of course they are pained by the developments in the state. If the political process has to start then mainstream leaders have to be released. pic.twitter.com/KC9PLeneLD
— ANI (@ANI) October 6, 2019
Decision
Reportedly, NC will not participate in first-ever BDC elections
Meanwhile, NC leaders Akbar Lone and Hasnain Masoodi told NDTV politics wasn't discussed.
However, they added NC will not participate in the upcoming Block Development Council elections because the "entire leadership is in jail".
To recall, all politicians of Jammu were released to participate in these polls. BDC elections will be held on October 24, and results will be declared on the same day.
Quote
Earlier, BJP's Ram Madhav said politicians will be released soon
On Saturday, Ram Madhav, BJP's go-to man in the border state, said, "Very soon they will have their freedom. We want normal political activity to be restored in the state. But it has to be normal political activity."