New Delhi: Rajya Sabha MP and MDMK founder Vaiko Wednesday moved the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir to produce former state chief minister Farooq Abdullah, allegedly under detention following abrogation of Article 370, before the court.
In his plea, Vaiko has said that authorities should allow Abdullah to attend a “peaceful and democratic” annual conference, being organised in Chennai on September 15, on the occasion of birthday of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C N Annadurai.
Vaiko, who said he is a close friend of Abdullah for past four decades, contended that constitutional rights conferred on the National Conference (NC) leader “have been deprived of on account of illegal detention without any authority of law”.
“The actions of the respondents (Centre and Jammu and Kashmir) are completely illegal and arbitrary and violative of the right to protection of life and personal liberty, right to protection from arrest and detention and also against right to free speech and expression which is the cornerstone of a democratic nation,” the plea said.
“The right to free speech and expression is considered to have paramount importance in a democracy as it allows its citizens to effectively take part in the governance of the country,” it said.
Vaiko said he had written a letter to the authorities on August 29 to allow Abdullah to travel to Chennai to attend the conference but they have not responded.
He said that he had spoken to Abdullah over phone on August 4 and had invited the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister to attend the conference on September 15.
He claimed Abdullah had “verbally communicated” that he would be glad to attend the conference but on August 5, Abdullah along with other political leaders of Jammu and Kashmir were placed under “wrongful detention”.
The Centre had on August 5 revoked Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and proposed that the state be bifurcated into two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
Also read: Kashmir begins moving politicians out of detention, but they will be under house arrest
What do we do about the redundant ltte supporter vaikoo the buffoon of south and equally dangerous like sidhu of north. “Budhi godhi, lal jagam, Aao bhae loko, karo salaam. I believe there is a clear distinction between an Indian tamilian & SL tamilian just like indian muslims are way way better than pukii muslims. They are the best in fact, because of indian dna of sarv dharm sambhav. Vaikoo has no business to poke his nose in other country’s affairs. These days he has turned inwards. Looking for trouble & strife as usual but this time someone might throw a chappal at him at delhi or black ink even better. The Valley belongs to each & every indian. Period!