After being in detention for over seven months, former J&K CM Farooq Abdullah was finally released on Friday. Abdullah was detained in August last year after the Centre stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and bifurcated it into two union territories.
Farooq Abdullah released
The National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah was released after the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Friday revoked the valid Public Safety Act (PSA) against him with immediate effect.
Welcome the belated release of Dr Farooq Abdullah. I hope he will soon resume his rightful place on the front bench of the Lok Sabha, where he can address with his usual compelling vigour the issues facing his state & the state of the nation. His detention was a disgrace. pic.twitter.com/TnCR2BZ04x
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) March 13, 2020
He walked out of his Gupkar residence, seven months after he was put under detention following the abrogation of Article 370 by the central government.
After he stepped out he said, “I am free, I am free,” while addressing the media characters assembled outside his residence.
A long detention
Farooq Abdullah was placed under detention along with other leaders including his son Omar Abdullah on August 5, when the government dropped special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and forced massive restraints.
A week ago, eight opposition parties sent a joint resolution to the BJP-led government, demanding the urgent release of all political detainees in Kashmir.
“I am grateful to the people of the state and country who spoke for my freedom. I would like to thank everyone and every individual who prayed for my freedom,” said 82-year-old Abdullah.
Abdullah also said that he will not make any political statement till the time all the leaders are released.
#WATCH NC MP Farooq Abdullah released from detention, says," I'm grateful to people of the State&all leaders&people in the rest of the country who spoke for our freedom. This freedom will be complete when all leaders are released. I hope GoI will take action to release everyone". pic.twitter.com/zKS6EamydV
— ANI (@ANI) March 13, 2020
“This freedom will be complete only when all the other detained leaders – including former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah – in various buildings are released. I hope the Government of India will take action soon to release everyone,” he added.
