PSA on Malik direct attack on democracy: Karra

Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra on Wednesday expressed his concerns over the imposition of the Public Safety Act (PSA) on Aam Aadmi Party MLA Mehraj Malik, terming it a direct attack on democracy.

Prohibitory restrictions have been imposed amid additional deployment of security personnel in Doda district following clashes between protesters and security forces during demonstrations against Malik's detention under PSA on Tuesday.

"We believe that both sides should have opted for restraint on the issue. They should have seen that the Public Safety Act slapped on a public representative is a direct attack on democracy," Karra told reporters during a visit to flood-hit areas of RS Pura border belt.

Karra on Wednesday visited Badayal Brahmana and Gharana Wetland in RS Pura to assess crop damage caused by the recent heavy rains. He interacted with farmers and inspected fields affected by the losses.

Replying to a question about his reaction to Malik's detention under PSA, Karra said, "It has two aspects. One aspect is that both sides are correct, and the other aspect is that both sides are wrong. Perhaps the attitude of the concerned MLA is not appropriate, but applying the PSA on an elected member is fundamentally wrong." Karra said the situation currently reflects a tussle between the bureaucracy and democracy. "At this moment, it feels like it is bureaucracy versus democracy." He said, "We believe that both sides should have been prepared to resolve the issue through dialogue and mutual understanding." He pointed out that such measures raise serious questions about democratic principles and urged the authorities to reconsider their approach in dealing with elected representatives.