RAJOURI, FEBRUARY 23 – Prominent social activist and Apni Party leader Waqar Hussain Bhatti has been detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA) by the Rajouri district administration. The move has sparked political controversy, with party leaders and activists calling for his immediate release.
Bhatti has five cases registered against him across different police stations. He was initially arrested on February 17 under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges of promoting communal enmity, criminal intimidation, and insulting religious sentiments.
The complaint leading to his arrest was filed by an individual reportedly associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing Bhatti of making derogatory remarks against a religious group through social media and television appearances. Authorities later invoked PSA, a law that allows detention without trial for up to two years in certain cases, according to news agency KNS.
His wife, Roohi H. Bhatti, condemned the manner of his arrest, alleging that police personnel took him away from home without informing the family of the charges. “He is not a criminal but a law-abiding citizen,” she told The Kashmiriyat, criticizing what she described as a politically motivated move.
Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari has also raised concerns, calling Bhatti’s detention “worrying” and urging authorities to reconsider their decision. “It is alarming that a political figure who recently participated in the democratic process is being treated in this manner,” Bukhari said in a statement.
The arrest has reignited debates over the use of PSA in Jammu and Kashmir, with critics arguing that it is often applied to silence political opponents. However, the authorities have yet to issue an official statement on the matter.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
