ibn sultan
Srinagar: Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary Wednesday strongly condemned the arrest of Doda MLA under the Public Safety Act (PSA), terming it a murder of Indian democracy and constitution.
Choudhary urged the Lieutenant Governor to revoke the order to restore calm in the region.
Speaking about the prevailing situation in Doda following the MLA’s detention, Choudhary in Kunzer, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said the move has eroded public faith in democratic institutions.
“Only those who elect their representative can remove him. “How can a Deputy Commissioner, who himself is being accused in a complaint, book an elected MLA under PSA? Where is it written in the Constitution?” he asked.
The Dy CM said that governance in Jammu and Kashmir has been reduced to a ‘bureaucratic monopoly’ where officers act as “Patwari, Tehsildar, Girdawar and all rolled into one”.
He cautioned that this system cannot sustain and will only deepen mistrust.
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Stating that PSA is meant for anti-national elements, drug peddlers and those posing threats to society, Choudhary said, “They fail to arrest drug peddlers vanishing our youth, but a sitting MLA is booked under PSA. This is not just an attack on one MLA, but on the very institution of democracy”.
He reminded that Indian democracy was achieved through the sacrifices of countless freedom fighters including B.R. Ambedkar, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev.
“In mockery style, PSA is now being slapped on an elected representative. Does this mean Journalists or Panchayat members will be next if they question officers?” he said.
While calling the move a political decision by the administration, Dy CM warned officers against indulging in politics.
“Governments change and when they do, everything changes with them.
It is better for officials to avoid conflicts that could make their future functioning difficult”, he cautioned.
Urging the LG to intervene, the Dy CM said, “PSA is not the solution. It is better to revoke the PSA orders at the earliest so that the situation in Doda does not worsen.
People should not be pushed onto the roads”.
He said that the PSA detention of an elected representative has set a dangerous precedent. “It is condemnable and must be reviewed immediately to safeguard democracy and prevent unrest”, he said—(KNO)
