New Delhi: A photograph of detained former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah surfaced on Twitter on Saturday in which he seemed almost unrecognisable sporting a salt and pepper beard, triggering reactions of awe and anger from netizens, including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Omar is among the three former chief ministers of the erstwhile state who continue to be in custody since August 5 when the Centre abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and divided it in two Union Territories.
This is first picture of 49-year-old Omar to have appeared in public domain after five months of captivity. It showed him smiling in a snow covered jacket and sporting an unkempt greyish beard.
“I could not recognize Omar in this picture. Am feeling sad. Unfortunate that this is happening in our democratic country. When will this end,” West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asked on the micro-blogging site.
Congress leader Milind Deora tweeted that successive Indian governments have benefited richly from Abdullah's economic and political views.
“...Muting nationalists like him made our national discourse poorer. Complete normalcy must be restored soon,” he said.
Congress spokesperson Salman Soz said that after seeing Omar Abdullah's “leaked” photo, some were asking the NC leader to come back on Twitter and carry on as usual.
