PAGD leaders detained ahead of march against J&K Delimitation Commission

Omar Abdullah tweeted and showed how security trucks have been deployed outside the gates of their home

Authorities on Saturday disallowed a proposed protest against the delimitation commission in Srinagar by placing three former chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir under house detention.

The high-security zone, Gupkar Road in Srinagar, where Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar and Mehbooba Mufti –all former CMs- reside was sealed off with security trucks deployed outside their residences and no one allowed to enter or exit from there, reports said.

Omar tweeted and showed how security trucks have been deployed outside the gates of their home. “Good morning & welcome to 2022. A new year with the same J&K police illegally locking people in their homes & an administration so terrified of normal democratic activity. Trucks parked outside our gates to scuttle the peaceful @JKPAGD sit-in protest. Some things never change (sic),” he tweeted.

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However, reports said, despite placing the top leadership under house arrest, the second rung leaders and workers of the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) staged protests in Srinagar.

“Despite the despotic administration’s attempts to foil our protests, PDP & NC workers managed to hit the streets in Srinagar today to raise their voice against the illegal revocation of Article 370. I salute their courage & resolve,” Mehbooba tweeted.

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The PAGD, a grouping of Kashmir parties led by Farooq Abdullah which was formed in October 2020 to strive for restoration of statehood and special status of J&K, had announced a protest against the recently released draft proposal of Delimitation Commission to allocate six additional Assembly seats to Jammu and only one to Kashmir.

The Commission’s proposed draft runs contrary to the population ratio of both provinces of the former state as Jammu region has 53.72 lakh and Kashmir division 68.83 lakh population, according to the census of 2011.

However, the Commission said that besides population, other considerations like administrative units, area and proximity to the border have been factored in while distributing seats.

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