Masarat Alam’s release: PDP shifts blame, says decision taken during Governor’s rule in J&K

Amid hue and cry over the release of Masarat Alam, Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday claimed that the decision not to file fresh charges against the separatist leader was taken during the 49-day Governor’s Rule in the state.

Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh also took a jibe at the Bharatiya Janata Party this morning when he took to microblogging website Twitter and said:

The PDP’s allegation came a day after Alam’s release created uproar in both houses of Parliament and Prime Minister Narendra Modi tried to pacify the voices by claiming that the central government was not consulted on the decision.

The Prime Minister, in a statement in the Lok Sabha, had on Monday said that the central government was not consulted by the Jammu and Kashmir government on the decision and it was legitimate for the House to show its anger on the issue.

“There is an anger in the country, and in the house and I join them… I assure the nation, whatever is happening in the state, it is not being done in consultation with the central government, nor has the central government been informed,” Modi said.

He had asked leaders in the Lok Sabha not to make a political issue of the matter, and said: “At least on the issue of separatists and terrorism, the country should not think along party lines.”

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala, however, accused Modi of seeking to wash his hands off, saying his remarks on the issue will not be believed by people.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had too informed the House members that a clarification was sought from the state government, but the Centre is not satisfied with the reply.

While giving clarifications on his statement in the Rajya Sabha, the Home Minister said Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.

Opposition members, irrespective of party affiliation, expressed their anger on the issue and questioned the ruling BJP, which is in alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party in the state.

In the Rajya Sabha, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said Alam is guilty of the death of the 112 youth who were killed during the stone-pelting agitation during 2010.

Alam, however, said Mufti Sayeed was not to be credited for his release.

“Mufti Sayeed should not try to take political mileage out of it. I was released through a normal legal procedure since my Public Safety Act (PSA) detention was about to end in the next two to three days,” Alam told reporters in Srinagar.

He also said that his release should not be turned into a political issue.

(With IANS inputs)