Doda/Jammu: Protests were held by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) activists and supporters in Doda and other parts of Jammu and Kashmir against the detention of its MLA Mehraj Malik under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) even as police and paramilitary forces were deployed in strength in the district.
Malik, who is the MLA from Doda and the president of J&K unit of AAP, was detained on Monday under the PSA for allegedly disturbing public order and was subsequently lodged in Kathua district jail.
Raising slogans in favour of Malik’s release, hundreds of his supporters took out a march from village Bhatyas and headed for Doda town.
Another group of people also held a protest against Malik’s detention near the clock tower in the town but were dispersed by police, officials said.
They said security forces have been deployed in strength in Gandoh, Bhalessa, Chilli Pingal, Kahara and Thathri tehsils besides Doda district headquarters as a precautionary measure.
Some locals claimed that authorities have slowed down the internet services amid a spontaneous shutdown in several parts of Malik’s Kahara village. However, the district authorities denied slowing down the internet speed and said the “temporary fluctuations” are due to ongoing restoration and technical works being carried out by service providers.
“The District Administration Doda has not imposed any restriction or slowdown on internet services. The inconvenience being faced by the citizens is purely technical in nature and expected to stabilise once the restoration work is completed.
“Public is kindly requested to cooperate and bear with the temporary disruption,” the district information office said.
In Jammu, a group of AAP activists staged a protest outside the press club and raised slogans against the detention of the party chief and the BJP.
“The action of the Lt Governor-led administration at the behest of the BJP is condemnable as he is representing thousands of voters of his constituency,” a protester said.
Protests by AAP supporters were also received from Rajouri, Poonch and Kishtwar districts.
The ruling National Conference and other parties like the PDP and People’s Conference have condemned the detention of Malik under PSA, saying it was an “assault on democracy”.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said Malik is “not a threat to public safety” and that using a “discredited law to detain him is wrong”.
