Srinagar, Dec 28: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Sunday defended the house arrest of party MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi and other leaders, saying they want to create “turmoil,” which will not be allowed. Speaking to reporters at Pahalgam in south Kashmir, Abdullah said the leaders were probably unhappy that Jammu and Kashmir was progressing. “You should ask those leaders what they wanted to do. We are doing as much as we can. Perhaps they do not like that the state is progressing. They want turmoil, which we will not allow to happen,” Abdullah said. Authorities on Sunday placed several leaders including Mehdi, PDP MLA Waheed Para, former Srinagar mayor Junaid Mattoo, and PDP leader Iltija Mufti under house arrest to prevent them from participating in protests against the existing reservation policy. On the situation in Bangladesh, the former chief minister expressed hope that peaceful elections are held in the neighboring country so that a new government is formed. “We hope they (the new government) will tread the path of friendship (with India),” he added. The leaders were placed under house arrest after expressing solidarity with students who planned to stage a peaceful protest at Gupkar Road on Sunday. They had announced their intention to join the agitation against delays in rationalizing the quota policy, a year after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah formed a committee to address the issue. Para said it was unfortunate that leaders had been placed under house arrest to prevent them from showing solidarity with protesting students. In a post on X on Saturday night, National Conference MP Ruhullah Mehdi stated that armed police had been deployed outside his residence. “Is this a pre-emptive crackdown to silence a peaceful, pro-student demonstration?” he posted.
‘They Want Turmoil’: Farooq Abdullah Defends House Arrest of Leaders During Students’ Quota Protest
