'1 year of dictatorship': Priyanka Gandhi fires salvo at BJP over state of affairs in J&K

On Thursday, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra alleged that BJP was crushing democracy by misbehaving with senior party leader Saifuddin Soz. She was reacting to a video where Saifuddin Soz is purportedly unable to move out of his residence. Speaking to some reporters from inside the walls of his house, the former Union Minister disputed the Centre's assertion that he had never been detained.

Vadra opined that Soz had played a big role in strengthening the democratic process in India. In a veiled reference to the abrogation of Article 370, she claimed that there was a "dictatorship" in Jammu and Kashmir for the last one year. Thereafter, she issued a reminder to the Centre that India is a democratic republic. 

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Earlier on July 30, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi stated that illegally detaining political leaders without any basis damages India's fabric. He demanded the immediate release of Saifuddin Soz. However, it is pertinent to note that the Jammu and Kashmir administration has clarified that the ex-Union Minister was never put under detention, citing his visits to Delhi in October and December 2019. A senior bureaucrat mentioned that Soz was free to go wherever he likes with the usual security drill. 

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Habeas corpus petition in Supreme Court

On May 29, Mumtazunnisa Soz filed a habeas corpus petition before the Supreme Court seeking her husband's release. In her plea, she stated that her husband was informed by his security guards of his house arrest on the morning of August 5, 2019, when the Presidential order revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was passed. She contended that a copy of his detention orders had not been provided to him despite Saifuddin Soz's repeated attempts. Citing his political career which includes his tenure as Union Water Resources Minister and the awards received by him, Mumtazunnisa Soz contended that he is a law-abiding and peaceful citizen. 

She termed his detention as not just illegal, 'malafide, and unconstitutional but also appalling'. The senior Congress leader's wife maintained that Soz's detention was contrary to the constitutional safeguards laid down under Article 21 and 22  and was in contravention of the statutory scheme of the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978, under which the arrest had purportedly been made. Furthermore, Mumtazunnisa Soz reiterated that her husband had consistently demonstrated unwavering loyalty to the Indian Constitution even in the wake of facing separatist threats. 

During the hearing, the Jammu and Kashmir administration reiterated that no restriction has been placed on Soz's movement. Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi contended that the J&K administration's position was contrary to facts. However, the SC bench comprising Justices Arun Mishra, Vineet Saran and MR Shah observed that it would not enter into the question any further. On July 29, Mumtazunnisa Soz's petition was rejected.