Panthers slams detention of its Jammu leaders

Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 13

Claiming subversion of democratic rights of opposition parties by the BJP regime, Panthers Party leader Harsh Dev Singh has questioned the prolonged house arrest of several leaders of Jammu without any justifiable reason.

He said leaders belonging to opposition parties had been illegally kept under preventive detention in their houses with their freedom having been snatched and movement curtailed.

In a statement issued here on Tuesday, Harsh said it was his seventh day in captivity with security personnel having been given strict instructions to confine him in his residential premises and not to allow any mediaperson in his house.

Harsh said the administration had failed to provide any rational justification for such an unwarranted action against opposition leaders. He said preventive detention in disturbed areas of Kashmir was understandable but why such an undemocratic and unconstitutional action was taken against peace-loving leaders in Jammu.

Harsh said it only indicated that the government wanted to suppress the Opposition and silence all voices of dissent. Those singing paeans to the BJP were allowed to hold public meetings, but the freedom of opposition leaders had been curtailed, he lamented.