Priyanka Gandhi questions the detention of her party leaders in J&K 

New Delhi: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday took to Twitter to question the detention of party leaders in Jammu and Kashmir. The Congress party leaders were prevented from conducting a press conference on Friday as police detained its chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma and its chief Ghulam Ahmed Mir was put under house arrest.

She lashed out on the Modi-Shah government and asked whether it was a crime to speak to the media and on what grounds were her party leaders taken into custody.

In a thread of tweets, Priyanka said “On what grounds have Congress leaders in J&K been arrested? Is it a crime to speak to the media? It's now 15 days since ex-CM's who respected and abided by the Constitution of India just like our leaders, have been under arrest (sic)," she said on Twitter.

On what grounds have Cong leaders in J&K been arrested? Is it a crime to speak to the media? It’s now 15 days since ex CM’s who respected and abided by the Constitution of India just like our leaders, have been under arrest.

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) August 17, 2019

"Even their families have not been allowed to communicate with them. Does the Modi-Shah government believe India is still a democracy? (sic)," she said in the tweet with hashtag "StopIllegalArrestsInKashmir.”

Even their families have not been allowed to communicate with them. Does the Modi-Shah Govt believe India is still a democracy?#StopIllegalArrestsInKashmir

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) August 17, 2019

Former Home and Finance minister P. Chidambaram termed the illegal house arrest as “outrageously illegal” and hoped that the courts would take the matter in their hands.

In a thread of tweets by P. Chidambaram, he said, “Ghulam Ahmad Mir, PCC President, J&K is under house arrest in Jammu since Friday. There was no written order of detention. Outrageously illegal.”

Ghulam Ahmad Mir, PCC President, J&K is under house arrest in Jammu since Friday. There was no written order of detention. Outrageously illegal.

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) August 17, 2019

“The State has no right to deprive a citizen of his liberty for even one moment without the authority of law. That is Article 21 of the Constitution. I hope the Courts will act and secure the liberty of citizens,” he further said.

The State has no right to deprive a citizen of his liberty for even one moment without authority of law. That is Article 21 of the Constitution.

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) August 17, 2019

Reacting on the same, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi said, “I strongly condemn the arrest of our J&K PCC Chief, Shri Ghulam Ahmed Mir & spokesperson, Shri Ravinder Sharma in Jammu today. With this unprovoked action against a national political party, the govt has delivered democracy another body blow. When will this madness end?”

I strongly condemn the arrest of our J&K PCC Chief, Shri Ghulam Ahmed Mir & spokesperson, Shri Ravinder Sharma in Jammu today. With this unprovoked action against a national political party, the Govt has delivered democracy another body blow. When will this madness end? https://t.co/1z3e7qHCDE

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 16, 2019

Azad said while the State and the Central government were asserting that the situation was normal in Jammu and people were celebrating the Centre's decision to abrogate the constitutional provisions that gave a special status to Jammu and Kashmir, opposition leaders were not even allowed to address press conferences.