DMK to protest in Delhi seeking release of Kashmir leaders under house arrest

Chennai, Aug 19: Condemning the scrapping of J&K special status, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) will hold a protest in Delhi on August 22 at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.

DMK leader Stalin also demanded the release of political leaders who have been detained in Jammu and Kashmir.

The detention of family members of political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir was "unacceptable", Stalin said in a statement.

"It has been 14 days since Farooq Abdullah, the son of Sheikh Abdullah who was known as 'Lion of Kashmir, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti - all former chief ministers have been put under prevention detention or house arrest. These are the leaders who stood by the people of Kashmir and acted as their voice," he said.

"The Central government has isolated Kashmir from India by imposing a curfew, using repressive forces and implementing prohibitory orders. By cutting channels of communication, the government has unnecessarily created a hostile environment," the DMK statement read.

"After having shut down the entire state, murdering democracy and imposing undeclared Emergency, the BJP is claiming that they have succeeded in Kashmir. This is nothing but politics," Stalin said.

A host of leaders, including three former chief ministers and an IAS topper have been kept under house arrest. The list of those detained in Jammu and Kashmir also includes a former Union minister, seven former state ministers, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Srinagar, and a number of legislators.