The house arrest of political leaders in Kashmir is an "abuse of power" by the Centre, and all political parties should collectively rise up and demand the release of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and others, said senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday.
A day after the first anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370, which gave Jammu and Kashmir its special status, and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union territories, Chidambaram slammed the Centre for the 'brazen denial of human rights" and added that it is chipping away at India's "proud record as a free and democratic country" in the world.
"Today is August 6. Will all political parties and right-thinking citizens please spare a thought for the virtual prison in which 7.5 million Kashmiris are living for the last one year?" Chidambaram's tweet read.
"Dr Farooq Abdullah was not allowed to hold a pre-announced meeting with leaders of other democratic parties. Is this the new 'democracy' that is visualised by the BJP? All leaders are under house arrest. If you question the government, they will tell the Court that no one is under house arrest. This is post-truth India!" he said in subsequent tweets.
The former Union Finance Minister also stated that house arrest is a "completely illegal instrument that has no legal sanction under the Code of Criminal Procedure. It is an abuse of power" and went on to demand that all those placed under house arrest "be allowed the freedom they are entitled to under the Constitution."
( With inputs from ANI )