Ahead Of Block Polls, House Arrest Of Jammu Leaders Ends But No Respite For Kashmir Counterparts

Days after the announcement of Block Development Council elections on October 24, the detention of all political leaders in Jammu came to an end, even though their counterparts in the Valley continue to be under house arrest. Leaders from political parties like National Conference (NC), Congress and Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) — who were put under preventive detention since August 5 when the Centre scrapped the special status of the state — were allowed to move out of their houses.

NC leaders Devender Rana and SS Salathia, Congress’ Raman Bhalla and Panthers Party leader Harsh Dev Singh are among the prominent leaders who are no longer under house arrest. However, political leaders in Kashmir — including NC’s Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and J&K People’s Conference leader Sajjad Gani Lone — continue to be in detention.