Cong condemns Farooq Abdullah's detention under PSA

The Congress on Monday strongly condemned former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah's detention under the Public Safety Act (PSA), saying it is the country's "misfortune" that the leaders who fought for its unity and integrity have been put behind bars.

Congress' reaction came as sources said on Monday that Abdullah has now been detained under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA), which enables authorities to detain any individual for two years without trial.

The 81-year-old patron of the National Conference has been under house arrest since August 5 when the Centre announced abrogation of the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and bifurcation of the state into Union territories. The stringent law was slapped on Abdullah on Sunday.

Reacting to the development, Congress Rajya Sabha MP and Leader of Opposition in the House Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "I strongly condemn it. It is most unfortunate that a (former) chief minister of one of the oldest political parties in Kashmir (has been detained).

"Each chief minister, and each political party be it Congress, National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party in Jammu and Kashmir have tried their level best to fight militancy. If there is no militancy today, it is because of these political parties and not the BJP," he told reporters.

If the leaders who fought against militancy and for the unity and integrity of the country are put behind bars under the PSA, it is "misfortune" of the country, he said.