Mehbooba condemns Hurriyat leaders' arrest, says 'You can't imprison ideas'

Srinagar, Feb 23: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti condemned the arrest of Hurriyat leaders and workers of Jamaat organisation.

Mehbooba Mufti questioned on what legal grounds Hurriyat leaders were arrested.

She tweeted, "In the past 24 hours, Hurriyat leaders and workers of Jamaat organisation have been arrested. Fail to understand such an arbitrary move which will only precipitate matters in Jammu and Kashmir. Under what legal grounds are their arrests justified? You can imprison a person but not his ideas."

In the past 24 hours, Hurriyat leaders & workers of Jamaat organisation have been arrested. Fail to understand such an arbitrary move which will only precipitate matters in J&K. Under what legal grounds are their arrests justified? You can imprison a person but not his ideas.

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) February 23, 2019

Amid indications of a stronger crackdown on separatists in Jammu and Kashmir, police swooped on Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir members in Kashmir during the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, and detained around two dozen of its cadres, including its chief Abdul Hamid Fayaz, officials said in Srinagar.

The arrest are made in the wake of the Pulwama attack that resulted in the deaths of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel on Feb 14.