Jammu: Thirty five detained mainstream politicians in Jammu and Kashmir have been moved out of the Centaur hotel on the banks of Dal lake to the MLA hostel in Srinagar on Sunday.
Sources have told IANS that the reasons for shifting the leaders to a new location is due to the cold weather conditions in the Valley, and also the escalating cost of keeping them in a 4-star hotel.
A bill of Rs 3 crore was generated for keeping the leaders in the Centaur hotel. The new accommodation is a cheaper option.
MLA hostel is a government building where there will be no rent charges incurred.
Iltija’s claims
Reacting on the transfer, Iltija Mufti, daughter of PDP President Mehbooba Mufti tweeted, “SKICC detainees shifted to MLA hostel, Srinagar today. Police manhandled them & roughed up Sajad Lone, Waheed Para & Shah Faesal. Is this how you treat elected representatives? Why humiliate them? J&K is under martial law & police seems be inebriated with power”.
He further tweeted, “The same Waheed Para whose work for strengthening democracy in J&K was lauded by former Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh.The very same Shah Faesal who was called Kashmir’s role model when he topped UPSC exam. Once appreciated & now humiliated. Why?”.
She claimed, “Manhandling started when Sajad Lone was repeatedly frisked & asked to undress. New jail windows are blocked with wood,lacks heaters & has surveillance jammers. If a man who PM Modi called his younger brother is being humiliated like this, imagine plight of others”.
It may be mentioned that Ilteja has been operating her mother’s twitter account for the past few weeks.
Police denies charges
Jammu and Kashmir police officer, Imtiyaz Hussain, strongly denied the charges that some political detainees, including Shah Faesal, Sajad Lone and Waheed Para, were manhandled by the security personnel while being shifted to the MLA hostel in Srinagar. “Apropos some twitter handle claiming manhandling of some people at MLA hostel Srinagar, it is hereby clarified that no such incident has taken place. Mandatory security drills were followed as required for lodgement,” Imtiyaz Hussain’s tweet on Sunday read.Jammu and Kashmir police officer, Imtiyaz Hussain, strongly denied the charges that some political detainees, including Shah Faesal, Sajad Lone and Waheed Para, were manhandled by the security personnel while being shifted to the MLA hostel in Srinagar. “Apropos some twitter handle claiming manhandling of some people at MLA hostel Srinagar, it is hereby clarified that no such incident has taken place. Mandatory security drills were followed as required for lodgement,” Imtiyaz Hussain’s tweet on Sunday read.