Srinagar
Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President and Member of Parliament, Dr Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday strongly condemned incidents of assaults on Kashmiri detainees at Tihar Jail and said such incidents were reprehensible and unacceptable. Speaking to reporters at National Conference Headquarters, ‘Nawa-e-Subha’ in Srinagar, Dr Farooq Abdullah sought the immediate shifting of all Kashmiri prisoners to jails within Jammu and Kashmir and said the Chief Minister was morally bound to ensure their safety and welfare.
“The reports of such assaults are extremely condemnable and unacceptable. Irrespective of their political affiliations and ideologies or the nature of cases against them, the detainees have human rights that are detailed under the jail manuals and there should be strict adherence to these procedures and regulations and there should be no deviation”, Dr Farooq Abdullah said.
The National Conference President also expressed serious concern over the safety of the detainees especially in view of an elaborate campaign by certain news channels and said all Kashmiri detainees should be immediately shifted to jails within the State. “The Chief Minister should immediately visit Tihar Jail and ensure their safety and also initiate a process of shifting these prisoners back to jails within the State while the cases against them are processed. The rule of law is supreme and under the same rule of law, every detainee has unquestionable and non-negotiable rights. These rights have to be upheld at all costs”, the National Conference President added.
Dr Farooq also sought that all juvenile detainees be treated strictly in adherence to juvenile justice laws and regulations.
