New Delhi: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday came out in support of her party colleague Saifuddin Soz, accusing the Centre of treating him like a prisoner.
Taking to Twitter, the Congress general secretary wrote, "Saifuddin Soz has played a big role in strengthening Indian democracy. By treating him as a prisoner, the BJP government is trampling democracy."
Referring to the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status, Priyanka said that the newly formed Union Territory has been under dictatorship for the past one year. "J&K has been under dictatorship for one year. I want to remind the government that India is a democratic republic," she said.
Earlier in July, the Jammu and Kashmir administration, in an affidavit before the Supreme Court, had said Saifuddin Soz was "never detained nor under house arrest" and there are "no restrictions on his movement subject to security clearance." The government's affidavit came in response to a petition by Soz's wife asking for his release from "illegal detention" and for him to be brought to the court.
Read:Saifuddin Soz's video exposed BJP's blatant lies: Congress
However, the Congress leader claims that he continues to be under house detention, and that the main gate of his residence has now been locked from inside as well. "I have already explained my position that I continue to be under house arrest. The Supreme Court was told by the Government on July 30 that I was a free man. I had categorically stated that the Government had made a false statement before the Supreme Court and outside too," Soz said in a statement on August 3.
