has made such statements publicly in the past too, but it is for the first time,
that he has made this statement in a court. Qayoom was replying to answers while being cross examined in a case relating to contempt of HC orders by the Kotbalwal Jail authorities before Justice Muhammad Yaqoob Mir.
Bar Association has filed the contempt petition against Kotbalwal Jail SP and DSP “for violating HC orders dated January 1 by disallowing a four-member Bar team to meet the jail inmates on 7 January 2010”.
Qayoom deposed as one of the six witnesses and was confronted by the rival counsels, Advocate Sheikh Shakeel and Advocate Syed Tasaduq Khawaja, with these questions.
“Do you believe yourself to be a citizen of India?” Qayoom was asked.
He replied “No, I’m not a citizen of India. I’m a resident of Jammu and Kashmir.”
“Do you have faith in the Constitution of India?” the counsel asked.
“No I’ve no faith in the Indian constitution. You’ve yourself eroded the Indian constitution in J&K,” he replied.
He also ignored suggestions to reconsider his statement, and adding that he was not afraid of the consequences.
“I’m not afraid. If they put me behind bars for this, let them do it. Let it come on record.”
During the infamous sexual exploitation case in 2006 – 07, Qayoom had lead a Bar Association team to supreme court, and told reporters outside the court that he did not believe in the Indian constitution.
