Arrest of youth who participate in rallies undemocratic: PDP

Srinagar, Aug 29 (UNI) Strongly condemning the alleged harassment and arrest of youth by security forces in the valley, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today said launching a manhunt to nab the youth who were a part of the protests during the recent upsurge was undemocratic and uncalled for.

In a joint statement issued here today Senior Vice President PDP Molvi Iftikhat Hussain Ansari, former minister Peer Muhammad Hussain and General Secretary PDP youth Wing Bashir Assad said police has arrested dozens of youth from Srinagar city, Anantnag and Baramullah districts and was hunting for hundreds more.

The leaders said the frightening occurrences of early nineties were being repeated by the security agencies as hundreds across the valley are being directed to report the security camps every day and the movement of people has been strictly restricted causing a lot of trouble and inconvenience to the commoners in the valley.

''In Anantnag town the Special Police Officials (SPO's) posted at Kadipora were barging into the houses over the past three days beating the inmates, snatching their mobiles and taking away their belongings.

The SPO's also roughed up the womenfolk'' PDP leaders said and asserted that the instruments of government have failed to observe restrain as was done in Jammu.

The PDP leaders said the people are being victimized for taking part in peaceful protests and raids are being conducted throughout the valley to nab them.

Reports of booking dozens of people under Public Safety Act (PSA) were disturbing and was likely to further vitiate the troubled atmosphere in Kashmir.

They said strong-arm methods and firefighting tactics would not work but adds to the alienation and unrest.

PDP leaders maintained that the repressive measures against Kashmiris have neither worked in the past nor will such undemocratic actions help in dousing the flames sparkled by communal and fascist forces by arousing anti-Kashmiri passions across the country.

It needs bold political initiatives to douse the flames not subjugation. PDP leaders urged upon the government to rein in the elements resorting to suppressive measures in the valley.

The leaders also expressed their serious concern over imposing ban on local news channels on telecasting news and current affairs programmes.

It was a gross violation of Freedom of Expression and also the right to information. The leaders condemned the police action against media persons, denial of curfew passes to them and putting curbs on scribes to hide the truth. PDP leaders described it as stifling the freedom of press and demanded that ban imposed on media should be lifted forthwith.

UNI BAS SY AS1842