Cruel to keep J&K leaders detained during Covid-19 lockdown: Omar Abdullah

A day after the former J&K CM was released from an 8-month long detention under the Public Safety Act, Omar Abdullah raised concerns on the continued detentions of the other leaders in the Valley. Abdullah urged the government to expedite the release of the politicians detained in Jammu and Kashmir and said it was cruel to continue their detention with the country entering a three-week lockdown period. 

PM Modi in a televised speech on March 24 announced a nationwide 21-day lockdown amid efforts to curb the fast-spreading coronavirus, which has claimed 11 deaths and has affected over 560 people in India. 

Slamming the government for the continued crackdown on the leaders, Abdullah said that it was harsh and callous to detain the leaders along with PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti when the country is suffering from coronavirus pandemic. "It's callous & cruel to continue to detain @MehboobaMufti & others at a time like this. There was never much justification to detain everyone in the 1st place & none at all to keep them detained as the country enters a 3 week lockdown. I hope @PMOIndia & @HMOIndia will release them," Abdullah said in a tweet.

Some of the leaders who continue to be detained under the PSA include - Mufti, Naeem Akhtar, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Peer Mansoor and Shah Faesal, which was slapped on them during their preventive detention in the wake of the revocation of the erstwhile state's special status under Article 370 in August last year. 

It’s callous & cruel to continue to detain @MehboobaMufti & others at a time like this.There was never much justification to detain everyone in the 1st place & none at all to keep them detained as the country enters a 3 week lockdown.I hope @PMOIndia & @HMOIndia will release them

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) March 25, 2020

However, Abdullah's father was released from detention earlier this month. 

Meanwhile, the National Conference leader shared a meme of himself mocking the timing of his release.

These are serious & scary times so a little humour doesn’t hurt. pic.twitter.com/V0NA7tb0sU

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) March 25, 2020

The leader tweeted a photo which said, "When you spend 236 days in lockdown, and on the day you get out, the government imposes a 21-day national lockdown." He captioned the tweet, "These are serious and scary times so a little humour doesn't hurt." The leader also shared articles and tips on how to survive the pandemic and keep oneself safe from the virus.