‘It is a very different world today’
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 24: Former Chief Minister and National Conference vice president, Omar Abdullah, was today released after nearly 8 months of detention following an order issued by the administration quashing his detention under Public Safety Act (PSA).
Soon after his release, Omar in his tweet said that it is “a very different world today” as it existed on August 5 when he was put under detention along with over 7000 people.
“232 days after my detention today, I finally left Hari Niwas. It’s a very different world today to the one that existed on 5th August 2019,” tweeted Omar.
He was seen emerging from Hari Niwas guest house where he was jailed near his residence in Srinagar, sporting a white beard and surrounded by people in masks on account of the Coronavirus pandemic. He had resolved not to shave until he was released as a mark of protest.
Omar appealed for the release of his political rival and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and other leaders detained in August last year.
“Today, I realise that we are fighting a war of life and death. All our people who have been detained should be released at this time. We must follow Government orders to fight Coronavirus,” he told reporters.
He also offered “tips on surviving quarantine” in a tweet. “On a lighter note if anyone wants tips on surviving quarantine or a lock down I have months of experience at my disposal, perhaps a blog is in order,” he wrote.
“Had lunch with my mum & dad for the first time in almost 8 months. I can’t remember a better meal even though I’ve been in a bit of a daze & don’t remember what I ate”, he tweeted.
Omar asked the Government to restore mobile data connectivity in J&K so that the people could be made aware of the precautions to be taken to avoid Coronavirus disease.
He told reporters that he would speak on the scrapping of Article 370 at some point but for now, the immediate priority was to fight Coronavirus.
The Supreme Court had last week, on the petition of Omar Abdullah’s sister for his immediate release, asked the Centre to respond by this week whether it planned to free him. “If you are releasing him, then release him soon or we will hear the matter on merits,” the Supreme Court told the Government.
Earlier in the morning, administration revoked his detention order: “In exercise of powers conferred under Section 19(1) A of the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act 1978, the Government hereby revokes the detention order bearing No. DMS/ PSA/ 146/ 2020 dated 05-02-2020, issued by the District Magistrate Srinagar of Omar Abdullah son of Dr Farooq Abdullah R/o Gupkar Road Srinagar with immediate effect.”
Omar was detained along with hundreds of politicians in August, when the Centre decided to end special status to the former state of Jammu and Kashmir and divided it into two Union Territories.
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