PSA against ex-chief ministers undemocratic: Altaf Bukhari

Feb 8, 2020
Srinagar: Demanding an end to their detention, former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) minister Altaf Bukhari said on Saturday that the slapping of the Public Safety Act (PSA) on former chief ministers – Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah, is “undemocratic”.

“There is no place for detaining political representatives under PSA in a democracy,” Bukhari told IANS.

Bukhari said the detained leaders must be released and allowed to do political activities.

Three former chief ministers of erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir have been detained since the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5.

Bukhari was the first Kashmiri leader to publicly say that it was time to move beyond Article 370 and work for getting achievable political objectives.

Last month a group of politicians led by Bukhari met with Lt Governor G.C. Murmu and presented a memorandum listing measures for the revival of political activities in the union territory. They demanded restoration of statehood and domicile rights for the residents.

The group stressed on the release of all the detainees following the abrogation of Article 370 including three former chief ministers.

Bukhari also led a group of former legislators for a meeting with a 16-member delegation of foreign envoys and ambassadors.

The move triggered a strong response by the PDP which expelled nine of its members for taking part in the meeting and siding with Bukhari.

The Bukhari-led group plans to launch a new political party which will take shape over the next few weeks and is likely to play a key role in the revival of political activity in Jammu and Kashmir.