Denying jobs, passports to ‘protesters’ against PM Modi’s assurance, say Jammu and Kashmir parties

Move by police will further alienate youth in UT, warn leaders

Political parties from Jammu and Kashmir on Monday condemned the government’s move to especially to protesters and stone-throwers, and termed it against the spirit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech made during the all-party meeting on June 24. “An ‘adverse police report’ cannot be a substitute for being found guilty in a court of law. A year and a half ago, the J&K police were able to create an ‘adverse police report’ to justify my detention under the Public Safety Act that would never have stood up to legal challenge. An executive order cannot replace a court of law. Guilt or innocence must be proven in court and not based on vague unproven police reports,” National Conference vice-president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah said. Sajad Lone’s Peoples Conference (PC) termed the fresh order of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) as a move “to give arbitrary powers” to the sleuths of the Special Branch of the CID and “appoint it as judge, jury and executioner”.