Kashmir detentions: Opposition parties protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar

New Delhi, Aug 22: Opposition parties led by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam protested on Thursday demanding the immediate release of those detained in Jammu and Kashmir after the state's special status was scrapped.

Congress leader P Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram also joined the protest at Jantar Mantar.

P Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI on Wednesday night in connection with a money laundering case related to INX Media.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI general secretary D Raja, SP leader Ramgopal Yadav, Loktantrik Janata Dal's Sharad Yadav, RJD's Manoj Jha and TMC's Dinesh Trivedi were among those who attended the protest.

The leaders raised slogans demanding the restoration of normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir, resumption of telecom services in the Valley and the immediate release of all political leaders who have been detained.

"Undeclared state of Emergency" had come into force in the Kashmir Valley," the leaders said in a resolution with a list of their demands.

"There has been a chilling crackdown on free speech and right of assembly," the resolution stated.

"Such actions go against the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution and need to be immediately reversed," it adds.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, former IAS officer-turned-politician Shah Faesal and several other leaders have been detained in Jammu and Kashmir over the past two weeks after the government scrapped its special status and bifurcated it into Union territories.

While the government has eased restrictions in some places, there is no information on when these leaders will be released.