Cops Block AAP MP’s Protest, Srinagar Meeting with Farooq Abdullah

Speedy Summary

• AAP legislator Mehraj Malik from Doda, J&K, was detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA, leading to unrest in Jammu and Srinagar.
• A low-intensity blast occurred in Doda town on Thursday morning; no injuries were reported, but two individuals were detained for questioning.
• Tensions remain high as prohibitory orders are enforced across Doda district for the third day following protests over Malik’s detention.
• AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh attempted a protest at Srinagar’s Lal Chowk but was confined by police at the circuit house guesthouse under what he termed a “house arrest.” Authorities allegedly did not disclose grounds for confinement.
• NC president Farooq Abdullah visited Sanjay Singh in support but was barred from entering the premises or meeting him directly; both leaders criticized the LG administration’s actions as oppressive and undemocratic.
• omar abdullah remarked that such detentions send negative signals about democracy in J&K while highlighting alleged misuse of force by authorities.
• Malik’s father apologized on his son’s behalf for offensive language used against a deputy commissioner and appealed to Prime Minister Modi and LG Manoj Sinha for his release.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The continued unrest over MLA Mehraj Malik’s detention under PSA underscores brewing tensions between political groups and administrative authorities in Jammu & Kashmir. Preventing publicly elected legislators like Sanjay Singh and Farooq Abdullah from holding protests or meeting each other raises questions about democratic freedoms even within constrained environments like J&K post its reorganization into a union territory.While political dissent is commonplace in dynamic democracies like India, handling such situations with enhanced transparency may foster trust among citizens rather than suppressing it through restrictive measures-a direction that can prove counterproductive amidst claims of “naya Kashmir.” Furthermore,the public appeal made by malik’s father indicates underlying sentiments among locals that call for swift resolution to avoid prolonged discontent.

Regardless of constitutional boundaries around PSA detentions or prohibitory orders during high-tension periods, ensuring open dialogue between differing voices could contribute toward greater stability without escalating distrust towards governance systems.

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