The Congress on Friday attacked the Modi Government over the detention of mainstream political leaders in J&K, and asked whether sitting Lok Sabha member from Srinagar Farooq Abdullah will be allowed to attend Parliament from Monday. It also alleged that the Centre had left "no stone unturned in internationalising Kashmir" and hit out at the Government for allowing European Union (EU) lawmakers to visit the Valley but not Indian leaders. Former Chief Minister and senior National Conference (NC) leader Farooq Abdullah was detained under the controversial Public Safety Act (PSA).
"Kashmir has been in a lockdown situation for the last 103 days. The Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) is going around the world saying 'all is well'," Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said at a press conference.
He said the Government must give reasons as to why it has kept leaders of established political parties under detention. When Farooq Abdullah "sings 'Ram Bhajan' or says 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'", he does not think what the response of separatist forces will be, Khera said.
The Congress spokesperson hit out at the Modi Government for granting a delegation of EU MPs access to Kashmir when Parliamentarians of the country were not allowed.
The Government on Friday did not spell out a timeline for the release of political leaders detained in J&K even as it said that the situation in the troubled region is getting normal post the revocation of special status and bifurcation into two union territories in August.