Iltija Mufti, daughter of detained PDP president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, has written to Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor G. C. Murmu to release her mother and other detainees in view of the coronavirus outbreak.
Mehbooba was among the 50-plus political leaders including NC leaders Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah, both former chief ministers, who were detained after the revocation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019.
Farooq was released on March 12 two days before his three-month detention under the Public Safety Act (PSA) for the second time was due to expire.
Mehbooba and Omar were first detained under ‘preventive’ detention but were slapped with the PSA in February, adding to their detention.
In her plea, Iltija has requested Murmu to release her mother and other detainees in view of the coronavirus outbreak in the state, where there have been four confirmed cases so far.
“As you’re aware, thousands of Kashmiris including my mother Ms Mufti, ex Chief Minister J&K have been jailed since 5th August. As the world prepares to battle the deadly COVID (already declared a global pandemic by WHO), India in all likelihood has entered Stage 3 in which the virus spreads through community transmission. J&K has already reported 4 cases & the numbers will go up exponentially in the coming weeks,” the plea reads.
“Since no medication/vaccination for COVID exists as yet, self isolation has emerged as the safest bet to fight the outbreak.”
It says the overcrowded jails and a lack of healthcare therefore makes these detainees highly vulnerable to the deadly contagion.
Iltija warns that senior citizens over 65 years and those with an underlying illness such as diabetes, hypertension & breathing issues are especially susceptible to COVID, adding that hundreds of senior citizens from Kashmir are battling multiple ailments across jails in the country.
“Some of these detainees come from humble families where the members haven’t been able to afford a single trip to visit their sons & brothers lodged in jails outside Kashmir. You can well imagine their anxiety & concern in the wake of COVID pandemic,” it says.
The plea requests that all detainees be released immediately and allowed to return home, keeping in mind the aforementioned circumstances.
“We are in the midst of an extraordinary medical situation & healthcare systems all over the world are collapsing,” It says. “I urge you to consider my request. I’m sure you will agree the collective health & well being of each of these detainees overrides every other consideration/rationale for their detention.”
Iltija also took to Twitter where, posting from her mother’s handle, she said that any aversion to unblocking 4G services in the state, or releasing detainees, would be “callously criminal”.
Wrote to Hon’ble LT Shri G.C Murmu to urgently release all detainees so that they can return home to Kashmir. We are in midst of an extraordinary medical crisis & health systems all over the world are collapsing. Any aversion to releasing 4G & detainees is callously criminal
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) March 23, 2020
Farooq was detained on September 15, 2019, in his house at Gupkar Road in Srinagar while Omar and Mehbooba were detained outside their residences at Hari Niwas and at M.A. Road in Srinagar.
The Supreme Court had observed last week that if the Centre did not release Omar, it would take up his sister Sara Pilot’s plea against his detention. Mehbooba’s family has also petitioned the Apex Court for her release.
