The Hindu : Court verdict on detenus will be honoured: Sayeed

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Sunday, Jun 08, 2003

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Court verdict on detenus will be honoured: Sayeed

By Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR JUNE 7. The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, today said that court orders in respect of detenus would be implemented in "letter and siprit" and that those freed by the courts would not be re-arrested unless found indulging in unlawful activities.

Intervening during question hour in the Assembly, Mr. Sayeed said that both the State and the Central Governments shared the same security concerns. Denying that his Government had "surrendered" its powers by accepting the nomination of a representative from Centre in the screening committee for releasing prisoners, he said the Government and the screening committee were empowered to release those not faced with serious charges.

Mr. Sayeed instructed the Director-General of Police to release detenus as per the court orders and said there was no question of curbing people's freedom.

Pointing out that he saw nothing wrong in releasing those whose mindset had changed vis-a-vis unlawful activities and violence, Mr. Sayeed referred to the release of thousands of surrendered militants and said some of them had even become legislators. After his release, the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front leader, Mohammad Yaseen Malik, had addressed several public rallies while leaders such as Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah were also carrying on political activities. This was a healthy sign that kept the Government on its toes, he said.

Earlier, the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, A.R. Veeri, told the House that no political activist has been jailed in the State for expressing views that were within the ambit of the Constitution.

However, when a speech made by an individual was unlawful or against the interests of the state, appropriate action was taken.

The Government was always willing to talk to any political/secessionist activist with the aim of ushering in peace in the State, he said.

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