Srinagar, Aug 30 (KNS): People's Conference Chairman Sajad Lone on Friday issued a scathing critique of the National Conference (NC), accusing the party of hypocrisy and insensitivity regarding the Public Safety Act (PSA).
In a post on "X", Lone questioned the NC's recent promise to repeal the controversial law if elected, calling for the party to apologize instead of seeking votes on the issue.
Lone said thaf the legacy of the PSA, a law enacted under NC’s leadership decades ago, which has been widely criticized for its harsh provisions. "The grandfather, after receiving a massive mandate, enacted one of the most draconian laws ever in the country," Lone said, referencing the late Sheikh Abdullah.
He said that the PSA remains one of the most oppressive laws, even after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, as the Government of India chose to retain the PSA while amending several other laws.
Lone underscored the devastating impact of the PSA, noting that thousands have been jailed under its provisions, with no recourse to bail, resulting in broken and destroyed families.
"Now the grandson, without showing any remorse—not even token—‘threatens’ to repeal the law if he is elected," Lone said, in a direct reference to NC Vice President Omar Abdullah.
He criticized Abdullah's tone, suggesting it lacked humility and instead appeared as if he was doing Kashmiris a favor by promising to revoke the PSA.
Lone said that propriety demands the NC remain silent on the PSA issue, given its history with the law.
He advised the party to repeal the law if they ever return to power but warned against seeking votes by promising to do so. "That is like rubbing salt into the wounds of those thousands who were incarcerated under PSA," he said.
He called for the NC to issue an unconditional apology and, at the very least, remain silent on the matter. "The least you can do is unconditionally apologize and undergo a penance of at least shutting up," the post on "X" concluded.(KNS)