Farooq Abdullah stopped from meeting detained MP Sanjay Singh in Jammu

Tensions ran high at Jammu circuit house on Thursday when former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah was prevented from meeting Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh.

Singh was being held on the premises to stop him from protesting the detention of AAP MLA Mehraj Malik under the Public Safety Act (PSA). Police positioned a locked gate between the two leaders, sparking sharp criticism from Abdullah, who described the move as a “direct assault” on Constitutional rights.

Singh had planned to stage a peaceful demonstration against Malik’s arrest, while Abdullah came to show his support. However, the former chief minister was stopped at the gate and barred from entering. Abdullah expressed frustration at the restrictions, accusing lieutenant-governor Manoj Sinha of overstepping his authority despite the presence of an elected government.

In an unusual scene, Singh stood atop a plastic chair, arguing vehemently with police officers. “He’s a former chief minister! I’m a member of Parliament! What crime are we committing? Are MPs not allowed to meet?” he demanded. Despite their protests, police refused to budge, forcing the two leaders to converse from opposite sides of the locked gate.

Addressing the media later, Abdullah voiced serious worries about the state of democracy in Jammu and Kashmir. He called the police’s refusal to allow the meeting, along with Singh’s detention, a blatant violation of constitutional values.

“There was no violence. Sanjay Singh came to express solidarity with his detained colleague Mehraj Malik. I simply wanted to check on an old friend and offer support. Yet, the gates were locked against us,” Abdullah said.

While sympathising with the police, who were “only following orders”, Abdullah criticised the government’s use of the stringent PSA against Malik. He labelled the move an unnecessary overreach that could have been avoided with dialogue.

“This heavy-handed response will only deepen anger among the people, as already seen in shutdowns and restrictions in Doda,” he warned. “How will Malik’s supporters, who voted for him, accept their representative being locked up?”

Abdullah also suggested that the government was using Malik’s detention to divert attention from other issues, pointing to recent unrest at the Hazratbal shrine. He condemned the installation of a national emblem there, calling it a needless provocation.

Beyond regional concerns, Abdullah highlighted national challenges such as rising inflation and the collapse of the tourism sector, warning that businesses burdened with loans face a bleak future. He criticised the ongoing trade tensions between India and the US, questioning the sincerity of President Donald Trump’s “friendship” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Ending on a note of caution, Abdullah urged a return to respecting Constitutional norms, dialogue, and freedom of speech. He also expressed surprise that elections have not yet been held for Jammu and Kashmir’s vacant Rajya Sabha seats. “If those in government cannot respect the Constitution, what hope is there for us?” he asked.