Where is Farooq, questions Oppn, stages walk-out in LS

New Delhi: “Where is Farooq Abdullah? Why is he being prevented from performing his duties as an MP?,” questioned Opposition parties as they staged a walk out in Lok Sabha against his detention in the wake of abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir last August.

Abdullah, his son Omar - both former chief ministers of J&K, PDP leader and also a former CM Mehbooba Mufti are among several political leaders who have been kept in detention under the stringent Public Safety Act in J&K to prevent them from speaking to public.

“Three former chief ministers including Farooq Abdullah are languishing in jails for the past six months, they have been put behind bars without giving any proper reason. He has been illegally detained,” Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said while demanding the release of Abdullah in Zero Hour.

Another Congress member Kodikunnil Suresh also raised the matter but was cut short by Speaker Om Birla following which the Congress and other Opposition members entered the Well of the House and started raising slogans — “Save the Constitution.”

“It is the responsibility of the government and House to ensure his welfare and also that he exercises his right as an elected representative,” Suresh said as Congress and other Opposition members walked out of the House in protest.

Trinamul Congress leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay while raising the issue of detention of Abdullah said this point was also raised during the all-party meeting and the Business Advisory Committee meetings.

“I would request the government to intimate this House at least about his health condition,” Mr Bandyopadhyay said.

Congress party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted saying, “Its been six months since two ex-Chief Ministers have been incarcerated without any charges and millions of people were locked down in J&K. Six months ago we were asking how long this will carry on? Now we are asking whether we are still a democracy or not.”