Allegations of House Arrest Surround Jammu and Kashmir Leaders Ahead of Article 370 Verdict
The parties of Mehbooba Mufti (L) and Omar Abdullah (R) have claimed their leaders were put under house arrest ahead of Supreme Court's ruling on Article 370.
In a dramatic turn of events, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti and National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah alleged that they were placed under house arrest by the police, just hours before the Supreme Court was set to deliver its verdict on the validity of Article 370. However, these claims were swiftly dismissed by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who called the allegations “baseless.”
The controversy unfolded as both political figures took to social media to make their claims public. The PDP, through a tweet, asserted that the doors of Mehbooba Mufti’s residence were sealed by the police ahead of the Article 370 verdict. Simultaneously, the NC, in a tweet, claimed that Omar Abdullah was “locked up inside his house,” lamenting the situation with the words, “What a shame!”
“Early this morning, JKNC VP @OmarAbdullah was locked up inside his house. What a shame!” the party tweeted.
Contrary to these assertions, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha categorically refuted the allegations, declaring them as “totally baseless.” He emphasized that no political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir had been placed under house arrest for political reasons. Sinha dismissed the claims as an attempt to spread rumors, stating, “It is an attempt to spread rumors.”
In a related development, journalists were reportedly barred from approaching the residences of National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah and vice-president Omar Abdullah on Gupkar Road in Srinagar. A significant police presence was observed at the entry point of Gupkar Road, restricting journalists from accessing the homes of the NC leaders.
Omar Abdullah, who resides with his father after vacating his official residence in October 2020, has been a prominent political figure in Jammu and Kashmir. The situation escalated in August 2019 when Mufti, Omar Abdullah, Farooq Abdullah, and other Kashmiri leaders were arrested following the passage of bills by the Central Government to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and reorganize the region into two Union Territories—Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
As the controversy unfolds, questions arise about the political climate in Jammu and Kashmir and the potential implications of the Supreme Court’s impending decision on Article 370. The conflicting narratives surrounding the alleged house arrest further intensify the already charged atmosphere in the region.