“Sedition and misuse of anti-terror law in J&K”: Allegations in the report of former judges and bureaucrats
The situation of citizens in Jammu and Kashmir is getting worse under the Lieutenant Governor’s rule with activists and journalists abusing the Act by targeting them under sedition and anti-terror laws such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Public Safety Act. Is. This allegation has been made in a report by judges and former bureaucrats. The report, headed by Justice AP Shah (former Chief Justice of Delhi High Court), also criticized the delimitation recommended by the Justice (retd) Ranjana Prakash Desai Commission. The report also criticized the “propaganda” surrounding the film ‘The Kashmir Files’ and said that the film has made Panchs (village heads) and Pandits more vulnerable in the Valley.
“The civil security situation has worsened after three years of Lt Governor’s rule. The misuse of sedition and anti-terrorism laws like UAPA and PSA against activists and journalists continues,” the report said.
The annual report of ‘Three Years as a Union Territory: Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir’ was shared with an independent forum named ‘Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir’. The forum is an independent body co-chaired by former Chief Justice of Delhi High Court AP Shah and former Union Home Secretary Gopal Pillai. The other members of the Forum are Supreme Court Justices Ruma Pal and Madan Lokur, former Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and Lt Gen HS Panag (retd). This forum has presented its report covering the period from August 2021 to July 2022.
The report claimed that the delimitation recommended by the Justice Desai Commission “violates the one-man-one-vote principle”. At the same time, an appeal has been made to the central government to “restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.”
“The Election Commission should announce the dates for the assembly elections and put them under the pre-determined constituencies,” the commission said.
The report also asked the government to transfer the employees of Kashmiri Pandits. The report also said that they have become unsafe due to the promotion of the film “The Kashmir Files” at safe places within the Valley.
This report is in stark contrast to the government’s stand on the situation in the Valley.
Last month, Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai told Parliament that no Kashmiri Pandit has left the Kashmir Valley during 2022. He also denied reports that several members of the community had threatened to leave the Valley after the targeted killings by terrorists.
More than 4,000 Pandit employees, who had returned from 2010 as part of the Prime Minister’s special employment package – had earlier refused to join their duties for at least a month. According to reports, most of them had already left the Valley and shifted to Jammu.
