After 105 Days In Jail, P Chidambaram's First Press Meet Starts With J&K

Former finance minister P Chidambaram, who walked out of Tihar Jail last night, today opened his first press conference after 105 days in prison with a note of solidarity for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, one of the country’s two newest Union Territories. The other is Ladakh.
“As I stepped out and breathed the air of freedom at 8 pm last night, my first thought and prayers were for the 75 lakh people of the Kashmir valley who have been denied their basic freedom since August 4,” Mr Chidambaram told reporters, referring to the centre’s move to scrap Article 370 of the Constitution that gave autonomy to the erstwhile state.

“I am particularly concerned about the political leaders who have been detained without charges. Freedom is indivisible. If we must preserve our freedom, we must fight for their freedom,” he said. “If the government allows me, I will definitely visit Jammu and Kashmir,” Mr Chidambaram added.

Hundreds of political leaders including former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, with whose Peoples Democratic Party the BJP at one time formed government in Jammu and Kashmir, are still under arrest.