MLA’s detention: Uneasy calm in Doda, AAP MP Sanjay Singh joins protest

Even as tensions continued to simmer in Doda district over the detention of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Mehraj Malik under the Public Safety Act (PSA), party MP Sanjay Singh on Wednesday joined a protest demonstration in Jammu and launched a scathing attack on the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing them of trying to “crush” the party wherever it gains ground.

Malik, who is also the president of AAP’s Jammu and Kashmir unit, was detained on Monday and shifted to Kathua jail, sparking protests in Doda and other parts of the region. Demonstrators, including AAP workers and supporters, also held a protest against Doda Deputy Commissioner Harvinder Singh, accusing the administration of targeting Malik for raising public issues.

Addressing reporters during the protest, Singh termed Malik’s detention “illegal and unconstitutional”, stating that never before in J&K’s political history had an elected MLA been booked under the PSA. “The BJP and the prime minister do only one thing — wherever the Aam Aadmi Party grows, they try to suppress it by filing false cases and sending our leaders to jail,” Singh said.

“A living proof of this is Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain, and now Mehraj Malik. All have been targeted to silence their voices,” he added.

He alleged that Malik was slapped with the PSA simply because he had been demanding better healthcare facilities for Doda, including a hospital. “You are imposing a law meant for terrorists on an elected representative who was protesting for a hospital. What kind of democracy is this?” he questioned.

Singh also mocked the PSA dossier prepared against Malik, calling it a “bundle of baseless claims”. “They say he makes spontaneous statements, goes live on Facebook, has two lakh followers, and this somehow makes him a threat to public safety. Is this a joke?” he said.

He accused the BJP of running a campaign of political vendetta against AAP leaders and compared the ruling party’s stance on corruption to Osama bin Laden preaching non-violence. “All thieves and mafia figures are sitting in BJP. And when they talk about corruption, it’s laughable,” he said.

Flanked by AAP leader Imran Hussain, Singh declared that the party would continue its agitation against Malik’s detention — from the streets to the Parliament and courts. “We will not remain silent. The fight for justice has just begun,” he said.

Commenting on the alleged use of abusive language by Malik against officials in a viral video, Singh said, “Visit any police station or government office and you’ll see how officials often use abusive language. Expressing anger or using strong words doesn’t make anyone a terrorist.”

Meanwhile, restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNSS) continued in parts of Doda, as the administration feared that protests could spread to other districts. Additional security personnel were deployed to maintain order. Some unconfirmed reports suggested that eight police personnel were injured during Tuesday’s protests.

Singh also recalled that former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had once spoken against draconian laws in J&K. “Now is the time to deliver on those promises,” he said.