JAMMU, Sept 11: Shamas Udin Malik, father of detained AAP MLA Mehraj Malik, made an emotional plea on Wednesday for his son’s release, tendering an apology for the language his son allegedly used against the Deputy Commissioner of Doda. Speaking to reporters after being discharged from Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu, where he was admitted briefly due to stress and weakness, Shamas Udin urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to intervene and revoke the Public Safety Act (PSA) charges against his son.
“I apologize to everyone. Whatever my son has said or done, I ask forgiveness for that. If he has any political connections that have caused concern, I also apologize for that. I only request that he be released. He has four daughters, the youngest just two and a half months old, and all of them are crying. His mother is in tears as well,” he said, visibly distressed.
The remarks came amid widespread controversy over Mehraj Malik’s alleged use of abusive language against the Deputy Commissioner of Doda. Addressing this directly, Shamas Udin admitted the comments were inappropriate. “For the words he used, I sincerely apologize. Those words should not have been spoken,” he stated.
Recounting his own attempts to secure help from the administration, Shamas Udin said he had sought an audience with the lieutenant governor but was denied access. “I also went to meet LG sahib, but I was not allowed. However, I met the Chief Minister. I still believe that LG Sahib and Modi Sahib will do justice with us and bring him back,” he said.
Describing his son as a grassroots leader who had worked for the poor, he dismissed the portrayal of Mehraj Malik as a lawbreaker. “My son is not a thief or a goon. He has only been the voice of the poor. If they do not want him to work, then let it be, but at least release him. I am going door to door, pleading for his freedom. Despite being sick for days and even collapsing from stress, I am asking for nothing but my son’s release,” he added.
Earlier in the day, AAP leaders had rushed Shamas Udin to GMC Jammu after he collapsed at his Gandhinagar residence. Doctors attributed his condition to weakness brought on by stress following his son’s detention. He was discharged after a brief examination.
The emotional appeal has added a humanitarian dimension to the ongoing controversy around Mehraj Malik’s detention under the PSA. While political circles remain divided over the legality and justification of the action, Shamas Udin’s public apology and plea for mercy underscore the personal toll that the detention has taken on the MLA’s family.