No Political Leader Under House Arrest: Article 370 Revocation Brought Socio-Economic Development In UT Of J&K, Centre Tells Lok Sabha

 No political leader is under house arrest in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the Centre informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

The Ministry of Home Affairs made this statement in a reply to a query by MPs Asaddudin Owaisi and Syed Imtiaz Jaleel .

Regarding their query about the the changes noticed after one year of removing Article 370, the Ministry said that 'all the rights enshrined in the Constitution of India and benefits of all the Central Laws that were being enjoyed by other citizens of the country are now available to the people of Jammu-Kashmir.'

"After the constitutional changes and reorganization of the erstwhile State of Jammu-Kashmir, the Union territories of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh have been fully integrated into the mainstream of the nation. As a result, all the rights enshrined in the Constitution of India and benefits of all the Central Laws that were being enjoyed by other citizens of the country are now available to the people of Jammu-Kashmir. The change has brought about socio-economic development in both the new UT's i.e. UT of Jammu-Kashmir and the UT of Ladakh. Empowerment of people, removal of unjust Laws, bringing in equity and fairness to those discriminated since ages who are now getting their due along with comprehensive development are few of the important changes that are ushering both the new Union Territories towards the path of peace and progress.", MoS G. Kishan Reddy said.

The Ministry also said that an amount of Rs. 30,757 crore has been allocated to the UTs in the Financial Year 2020-21. All the flagship schemes of the Government of India, including various centrally sponsored schemes and the individual beneficiary centric schemes, are also being proactively implemented in UTs of J&K of Ladakh.

Many politicians such as Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah, MY Tarigami, Mian Abdul Qayoom, Saifuddin Soz, Sajjad Lone, amongst others, were reportedly detained and/or placed under house arrest as per the provisions of the J&K Public Safety Act, 1978. In July, the Supreme Court had disposed of octogenarian Congress leader and former Union Minister Prof. Saifuddin Soz's habeas corpus plea against the Government of Jammu and Kashmir's detention order, in view of J&K Home Department's Affidavit which claims that Prof. Soz had never been placed under detention in the first place.

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