SRINAGAR – Government on Saturday said release of political leaders was a “dynamic” process and decision on releasing these leaders would be made after assessing the situation.
“I have been emphasising, reiterating and sharing that the developments post August 5 and the security assessment that was made required a certain kind of action which included detaining the leaders,” said Jammu and Kashmir Principle Secretary and Spokesman Rohit Kansal at a nationally televised press conference here.
Kansal was also asked when political leaders, including former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah, and activists would be released.
“These decisions were taken at the local level by law enforcing authorities after taking all factors into consideration. Detentions are being continuously reviewed and if there are persons who have been detained, there have been people who were released.
“This is a dynamic process. Security situation will continue to be assessed in a dynamic manner, people will continue to be released. This process will go on,” he said.
Most of the top-level and second-rung separatist politicians were taken into preventive custody while mainstream leaders, including two former chief ministers — Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, were either detained or placed under house arrest on the night of August 4.
On August 5, the Centre revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and announced its decision to bifurcate the state into two Union Territories.
Another former chief minister and sitting Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar Farooq Abdullah has been arrested under the controversial Public Safety Act, a law enacted by his father and National Conference founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah in 1978 when he was the chief minister.
