Separatist leader Masarat Alam was arrested on Friday by the Jammu and Kashmir police from his house in Srinagar.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police had filed a case against Alam and Syed Ali Shah Geelani for raising anti-national slogans during a rally in Srinagar on Wednesday. The case was registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Offenses were registered against Alam, Geelani and Peer Saifullah under section 13 of UAPA, the police said.
Later on Thursday, the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed directed the police to deny permission for the rally, which was scheduled to be taken from Srinagar to Tral on Friday. The rally was taking place because a youth was allegedly killed by the Army while he was in their custody.
Then, Alam and Syed Ali Shah Geelani were placed under house arrest on Thursday prior to their rally. The rally was scheduled for Friday at Tral town in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
Jitendra Singh, Minister of State, Prime Minister Office said, “There’s no compromise on any account, we are very clear on how such people have to be treated. The Centre is keeping a close watch on the situation.”
BJP Leader Nalin Kohli also passed a comment on Alam’s arrest. He said, “This is not a place where Pakistani flags or pro-Pakistan slogans are going to be accepted.”
Reacting to the charges, Hardline Hurriyat Conference on Thursday said that they cannot be ‘cowed down’ by such actions.
“We condemn the registration of an FIR against Hurriyat leaders in the strongest terms. We will not be cowed down by such actions. If seeking the right to freedom is a crime, then we will continue doing such things and no power on the earth can prevent us. The registration of a case exposes the assertion of (Chief Minister) Mufti Mohammad Sayeed that it is the battle of ideas. His government could not bear even a single peaceful rally organized by Hurriyat,” the body said in a statement.
Tags: Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir Masarat Alam
