New Delhi: Sitaram Yechury, general secretary of the CPI (M), has said that the union government must not have detained former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, who was released on Friday after seven months, under the Public Safety Act (PSA), and demanded that others too should be set free immediately.
Speaking to ETV Bharat here, Yechury said Abdullah being a sitting MP should have been allowed to attend parliament. His detention was illegal.
"To keep him detained under PSA was wrong. It was against the constitution of the country. We also understand that it was an attack on his democratic rights," he said.
"That's why we were demanding his immediate release. Parliament is also in session. He is a member of parliament and not allowing him to attend it is also a matter of parliament privilege," he said.
Yechury, however, expressed satisfaction over Abdullah's release and said the government must set other also free as it was wrong on its part to detain leaders in such a manner.
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On what he would do on meeting the released NC leader, the CPI (M) leader said he would congratulate him and discuss with him the strategy to get others freed as soon as possible.
"There are many others, specially Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, who are detained under PSA, they are to be set free," he said.
Farooq Abdullah was under house arrest at his Srinagar residence since the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019. Since September 16, last year, his detention was under the PSA.
The J&K administration released him after over seven months.
"I am grateful to people of State and of the nation and those who spoke for our freedom. This freedom is incomplete till all other leaders are released like Mehbooba and Omar Abdullah are released. Also those in the MLA hostel and outside. I hope government of India will take action soon, to see all live as free citizens. I will not speak on any political matter till all leaders are released," he told media after getting released.
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