In detention, Farooq Abdullah spends time reading the Quran

Srinagar: National Conference president and Member of Parliament Farooq Abdullah has turned to religion as his home in Srinagar has been declared as a sub-jail. Mr Abdullah now spends most of his time reading Quran.

According to sources, Mr Abdullah does Namaz five times a day. He has access to television but newspapers are not allowed. It‘s not known whether he is able to watch cable or satellite television.

On two sides of his house in Srinagar’s Gupkar Road are the houses of sister Suraiya and daughter Safiya. Safiya put a black flag outside her house as a mark of protest against the revocation of Article 370.

The J&K administration has justified slapping of the Public Safety Act (PSA) on the three-time chief minister of J&K, on the grounds that he has ‘tremendous potential to create public disorder in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley’.

National conference leader and MP from Baramulla Akbar Lone told reporters in Srinagar that there is no justification for slapping PSA on NC president. “What can we do except move court,’’ Mr Lone said. J&K High Court in Kashmir had permitted Mr Lone and Mr Hasnain Masoodi, NC MP from Anantnag, to meet Mr Abdullah at his residence.

Hasnain Masoodi said, “I met him. We wanted to enquire about his health as he has a heart condition.’’

The slapping of PSA against the former union minister, has come after he refused to soften his stand against the Centre’s decision to revoke J&K special status. In July 2019, Mr Abdullah said, “If Article 370 is temporary, then Jammu and Kashmir’s ties with India are also temporary.”

Mr Abdullah in the past has defended India’s stand on Kashmir at various international forums.

Home Minister Amit Shah while responding to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor’s query about the whereabouts of Mr Farooq Abdullah said in Parliament, “I have made it clear that Mr Farooq Abdullahji is at his home, he is not under arrest, he is under detention.’’

Also Read: https://newsmeter.in/kashmir-grapples-with-the-aftermath-of-scrapping-article-370/