The National Conference (NC) on Sunday urged PM Narendra Modi to start an early and direct dialogue with the people of union territory of Jammu and Kashmir to restore the political process. Calling for a further extension of the detention period of National Conference party president and former CM Farooq Abdullah by three months unconstitutional and undemocratic, he said that keeping a leader like him in custody is to control mainstream political ideology.
National Conference leader Devendra Singh Rana told media persons at the party headquarters here that, "We urge the PM to initiate direct talks with various people of the region, who are expected to ensure the restoration of political process in Jammu and Kashmir."
While addressing press persons along with former state ministers and party colleagues, Rana said that democracy in Jammu and Kashmir should be restored by initiating a Dialogue process so that development and consolidation could take place
Demanding the immediate release of all the detained leaders, Rana said, "We believe that due to the detention of mainstream leaders, there has been a political vacuum in Kashmir and it is neither in the interest of the nation nor in the interest of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday extended the Public safety Act (PSA) on former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah by three more months and he would continue to remain at his residence that has been declared a sub-jail.
Abdullah, a five-time Parliamentarian, has been under detention since August 5 when the Centre abrogated special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the state.
The stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) was first slapped against him on September 17, hours before the Supreme Court was to hear a petition by MDMK leader Vaiko who claimed that the NC leader was detained illegally.
The National Conference chairman has been booked under the 'public order' provision of the PSA which allows that a person can be kept inside the jail from three to six months without a trial, the officials said. (KNS)