SC asks states/UTs to decide on plea seeking to conduct yatras on poll awareness
The bench was told that such orders prohibit all kinds of assemblies, meetings and demonstrations during the duration of elections.
Amid questions on restrictions in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370, BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav on Monday said that “only 200-250 people are under preventive detention in view of the law and order situation in the Valley.
Ram Madhav said initially, “around 2,000 to 2,500” people were placed under preventive detention in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Today in J-K only 200-250 people are under preventive detention in view of the law and order. They have been kept under preventive detention respectfully, some in five-star guest houses, some in five-star hotels,” the BJP national general secretary was quoted as saying by news agency ANI at an event in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad.
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He further asserted that 200-250 people have been placed under preventive detention because of which peace has been prevailing in the Valley for the past two months.
“You can understand what do the people of Kashmir want and what do these 200-250 people want,” he said in an indirect reference to those supporting separatism in the Valley.
Ram Madhav further asserted that in 1994, a unanimous decision was taken that the only point left to discuss with Pakistan was when they would hand over Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to India. “The only outstanding issue between India and Pakistan with respect to Kashmir is the status of PoK,” he said.
Several politicians including former chief ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah are under house arrest since August 5, when the Centre decided to revoke the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate the state into two Union Territories.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has asked the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir government to “ensure that normalcy is restored” in the Valley even as it asked the institutions to be mindful of national safety and security while doing so.
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