Naseer Khora
DODA
Adv Hassan Babur Nehru, leader of Anjuman-e-Islamia Doda, was arrested by J&K police on Saturday late night around 10 pm from Mohallah Sah, Faridabad Doda.
He has been booked under “notorious” PSA and sent to Central jail.
Police have lodged more than 3 FIRs against him in anti-national activities.
Babur, a popular social and human rights activist, was a practicing lawyer who mostly pleaded the cases of deprived people to ensure them the social and human rights.
He used to highlight a diverse range of social as well as developmental issues of the Chenab valley region.
As a social activist, his service towards the people of far flung and poor backgrounds has been commendable.
He used to lead various processions, protests and Dharnas regarding various socio-political issues raising the genuine demands of the public.
Among his daily routines, making people aware about their basic human, social, political and religious rights were priority. He was emerging as a popular leader of the masses opposing “any wrong policy”.
“This act was disliked by various government agencies and every now and then he was unnecessarily harassed by the police,” claimed his family members.
It is to be mentioned here that during holy Ramzan amid frequent power cuts in the Chenab valley, he led a protest against the administrative authorities during night hours in front of Deputy Commissioner’s office in Doda.
It was alleged that he forcibly entered the DC office by breaking the main gate. Since then, he was under scanner of local police.
Many social and political organisations have condemned his arrest on the basis of “political rivalry” and growing image as a youth icon in the entire Chenab valley region.
President Bar Association Doda Adv Syed Asim Hashmi and Senior Adv and eminent writer Imtiaz Mir and human rights activist Haji Abdul Qayoom Zargar and patron Doda Development Front Khawaja M A Kichloo have strongly condemned the arrest of Adv Babur.
They said, “it is a huge blow to the basic human rights; to freedom of expression and right to seek justice.”
Legal advisor Adv Ghulam Hassan Patigaroo and Convener Developmental Front Master M A Zargar termed his arrest a “backlash to a democracy”.
They further said that Babur was often being harassed for raising “genuine public demands”.
Low Paid leader Ghulam Hassan Pampori, Scheduled Caste Leader Bhagat Lal Chand and Environmentalist Shishi Kumar Kesari have also criticized the local authorities over the arrest of arrest of Adv Babur.
They also said that if such practices don’t stop, the people particularly the youth will feel “alienated and insecure which will stabilize the region further”.
