Doda erupts over AAP MLA Mehraj Malik’s detention under PSA | Srinagar News

SRINAGAR: The Doda region of Chenab Valley in J&K witnessed massive protests on Tuesday over the detention of AAP legislator Mehraj Malik under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA).Police used lathicharge at some places to disperse demonstrators shouting slogans in favour of Malik and accusing the administration of misusing PSA. Protests also broke out in Bhalessa, Kahara and Gandoh tehsils, apart from Doda district headquarters.Malik was lodged in Kathua jail after being taken into custody on Monday on charges of disrupting public order. The detention came amid a controversy over his online post against Doda deputy commissioner Harvinder Singh, accusing him of misusing his authority.J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah, who had hit out at the LG administration for Malik’s detention under the preventive detention law as an assault on democracy, once again questioned why such a stringent Act had been invoked against the legislator. In J&K, security and law and order are under the LG.“What exactly has he (Malik) done? There was no law and order problem, no stone-pelting anywhere. On the contrary, those who disturbed the atmosphere, those who played with our religious sentiments at the Hazratbal shrine, they have been let off,” Omar said, alluding to the state waqf board chairperson Darakhshan Andrabi.Last week, Andrabi installed a plaque bearing her name and the national emblem inside Srinagar’s Hazratbal shrine, which was defaced by some worshippers. The governing National Conference said police had detained about 30 people as part of its inquiry in the matter. While BJP has called for stern punishment against those who defaced the emblem, NC and other political parties have sought withdrawal of the FIR and demanded action against Andrabi.The CM said any concerns about Malik’s conduct could have been addressed in the assembly. “Using the PSA against him is unjustified and will only weaken people’s faith in democracy,” he said, adding that the administration had already blundered on July 13 by preventing political leaders from laying wreaths on ‘Martyrs’ Day’.Before the abrogation of Article 370, July 13 was observed as Martyrs’ Day in J&K to commemorate 22 Kashmiris killed outside Srinagar jail in 1931 during protests against the Dogra ruler.Congress general secretary G A Mir warned that Malik’s arrest would have serious consequences for democracy.