SRINAGAR, May 21: The Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference on Thursday alleged that its president Sajad Gani Lone was placed under house arrest on the 24th death anniversary of his father, senior separatist leader Abdul Gani Lone.
In a statement, the party strongly condemned the restrictions imposed on the Handwara MLA and described the move as undemocratic. The party said such actions hurt democratic values and public emotions associated with the remembrance of Abdul Gani Lone.
Abdul Gani Lone was assassinated on May 21, 2002, after attending a Hurriyat Conference gathering organised to pay tribute to Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq, who was killed by militants on the same date in 1990.
According to the party statement, Sajad Lone was prevented from participating in commemorative events related to his father’s death anniversary. The party termed the alleged house detention inappropriate and said political leaders should be allowed to observe such occasions peacefully.
The People’s Conference further stated that restricting elected representatives sends the wrong message in a democratic setup and weakens public trust in political institutions.
No official statement had been issued by the administration regarding the allegations at the time of reporting.