- 4 months ago
A political showdown has erupted in Jammu and Kashmir following the arrest of Aam Aadmi Party's lone MLA, Mehraj Malik, under the Public Safety Act (PSA).
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00:00All right, let's take you now to Jammu and Kashmir, where new battle lines have been pitched against the NC plus the Aam Admi Party versus the Jammu and Kashmir administration, where you have the Aam Admi Party and the NC calling the JNK administration and the government here in Delhi as undemocratic and unconstitutional. Why exactly? Take a look.
00:21Aam Admi Party leader Sanjay Singh tried to scale the closed gates of the government guesthouse where he has been put under house arrest.
00:38National Conference leader and former JNK chief minister Faruk Abdullah stood on the other side of the gate.
00:51The veteran Kashmir leader reached the spot to meet Sanjay Singh as the latter was under house arrest.
00:58The government has been on the other side of the gate.
01:05The police has been put on the gate. It's not allowed to go outside. It's not allowed to go out. It's not allowed to press conference.
01:12It's not allowed to tell anyone that they were stopped by the gate.
01:18Here is a right. The protest is a right. It's the right given by the constitution of India.
01:27This is the U.T. and all the powers are left-hand governor's government.
01:34They are using their rights in a wrong way.
01:38We didn't claim the 14th of July that we had with our hands.
01:43This is the truth.
01:45And today it is the truth that Sanjay Singh has stopped.
01:49Which is the reason?
01:51Many people can tell who are behind this decision.
01:57Maharaj Malik, the lone AAP MLA in Jammu and Kashmir, was detained on the 8th of September
02:03under the Stringent Public Safety Act on charges of disturbing public order in Doda district.
02:10Malik has been accused of making demeaning remarks about Deputy Police Commissioner of Doda Harvinder Singh
02:15in his social media videos.
02:17He was not only stopped from going further, he was arrested then and then.
02:36Maharaj Malik is also accused of provoking the youth in Doda against the administration.
02:40Since his detention under the controversial PSA, protests have been raging across Jammu and Kashmir.
02:46They have been using the wrong law to use the law of Mahiraj Malik.
02:51There is no reason to do that.
02:53If there is no reason to do that.
02:56Now, if there is a complaint in their behavior or such,
03:00there is a complaint with someone,
03:02then take it with the Assembly Secretariat.
03:04Please talk about that.
03:06But the PSA law against an MLA, that is wrong.
03:11The Aam Admi Party started protesting and the government responded by banning large assemblies
03:16in the Chennav Valley's Doda district in the Jammu division.
03:20Raji Sabha MP Sanjay Singh joined protests in the valley seeking the release of Mahiraj Malik.
03:25On Thursday, before Sanjay Singh and the Aam Admi Party could come out with protest rallies,
03:30he was put under house arrest.
03:32Bureau Report, India Today.
03:38First, this was Jammu and Kashmir's lone Aam Admi Party, MLA.
03:43Mahiraj Malik was arrested under the Public Security Act.
03:46This had happened, viewers, on Monday.
03:49And he's the first sitting MLA ever to be arrested under the stringent act,
03:54which primarily means that he could be in detention without charge or trial for up to two years.
04:04He could protest that Sanjay Singh from the Aam Admi Party and other leaders of the Aam Admi Party in solidarity had arrived in Srinagar.
04:12After that, it seems that at least these leaders are alleging that they've been put under house arrest at the guest house where they were.
04:21Faruk Abdullah has come in to meet them, and those visuals that you see on your television screen practically state that what really went down,
04:30a conversation took place between Sanjay Singh from the Aam Admi Party and Faruk Abdullah across the gate,
04:36where Sanjay Singh attempted to even cross, you know, the gate when he climbed onto it.
04:42And the allegation is that they've been put under house arrest, they've been not allowed to hold a press conference,
04:47which they were to hold at 1 p.m., and not also allowed to meet with any political leader.
04:53I want to quickly cut across right now Sanjay Singh from the Aam Admi Party,
04:57who alleges he's been in detention in house arrest, is joining us right now.
05:01Sanjay Ji, thank you so much.
05:03Sanjay Ji, you are saying that you have been arrested for house arrest because it has not been known for any official information.
05:12I have seen that I, Faruk Abdullah, who has been here for many times,
05:20who has been here for a long time, and has been here for a long time,
05:24who has been here for a long time, and has been here for a long time.
05:26So I am not going to meet them.
05:28I am going to press conference in the press club, so I am not going to press conference in there.
05:33I am not allowed to go there.
05:35There was a house that was not allowed to go there.
05:38So, house arrest, I have been here for a long time.
05:42Is there a make?
05:45You have to blame me?
05:46I was going to have to ask that Emperor Chairman Business of Information,
05:51who has been here for India?
05:53He has Instead of wedgeud on any private interests but one necessary
05:59where there wasn't people who have agreed to shoot me,
06:02who has no mercy on them.
06:03Because there was no pressure at all they passed away,
06:06it has been tasked withacaks vue online that you have quite a lot.
06:08Thank you very much.
06:38Faruk Abdullahi sahab, you came to meet the conversation that is now on our channel.
06:45What was your talk about?
06:48Because you tried to move the gate to climb over the gate also to meet Faruk Abdullahi.
06:55You didn't get to meet Faruk Abdullahi.
06:57Look, when he came out, he heard the sound of the gate.
07:05I thought, who is coming to meet?
07:07I said, it's Faruk Abdullahi.
07:10Then I went to the gate.
07:14The gate is much higher than the gate.
07:17He didn't stay at the gate.
07:19I talked to him about the gate.
07:21I asked him to ask him,
07:23I said, you have been living in the gate.
07:28Why did you not give them?
07:29What did you tell me?
07:30But I didn't say anything to say.
07:32All of these people were standing there.
07:34So Faruk Abdullahi sahab said,
07:35that this is the situation.
07:37You see him.
07:39He has been living in Kiender.
07:42He has been living in Kiender.
07:43He has been living in Kiender.
07:44He has been living in Kiender.
07:46He has been living in Kiender.
07:48I am living in Kiender.
07:50I am living in Kiender.
07:52I am living in Kiender.
07:58In Kiender.
07:59And we put the gate on the gate of Kiender.
08:01So this situation is going on...
08:02Sanjay Ji, you have just placed a press conference.
08:05And he has been working with the PIEC.
08:06So that's what it happens.
08:08Sanjay Ji, this one.
08:09It was a press conference.
08:10What is your reason for the press conference?
08:15All right, let's cut across to a political face-off this evening from all the charges
08:38that the NC and the Aam Admi Party has made.
08:40Joining me, Sanju Verma, National Spokesperson, Bharatiya Janata Party, Irfa Jan, Social
08:44Media and Digital Platform in Charge, JKMC spokesperson as well of the National Conference.
08:50I want to begin with Sanju Verma.
08:52Sanju Verma, the fact is, let's begin with the fact of an MLA being arrested, the first
08:58sitting MLA ever in the history of India to be arrested under the PSA, which practically
09:03means that he could be held in detention for the next two years without trial.
09:07And when the party members go in to protest in Jammu and Kashmir, hold a press conference
09:14there, hold a protest, march in support of him, they are also detained.
09:18You know, Preeti, let's get one thing very clear.
09:24Whether a sitting MLA or not is not the moot point.
09:28The moot point is when you, when I say you, I mean Mehraj Malik, the Aam Admi Party MLA
09:34was well aware that there was an incendiary situation in Doda.
09:38There was widespread unrest.
09:40There was no need for him to further, you know, make the situation more tense by A, assaulting,
09:49using unparliamentary and offensive language against the deputy commissioner of Doda district,
09:55Mr. Harvinder Singh.
09:56And Mehraj Malik has not stopped there.
09:59He's also known to vandalize some of the rehabilitation material in Doda.
10:04He tried creating, you know, a bigger incendiary situation by inflaming passions with the over
10:13two lakh followers that he has, by making untoward statements which were provocative.
10:19And more importantly, you know, he's also been accused of vandalizing medical equipment
10:26and relief material that was meant for flood ravaged victims of Doda district.
10:32Now, if he's an MLA, one would have expected him to behave with more maturity.
10:39Instead, if a sitting MLA behaves like a vandal, a thug and a goon, and when there is already
10:45section 163 of the BNSS, which is applicable there, what was the need for him to inflame
10:52passions?
10:53Obviously, this was done with personal malice and with malafide intent.
10:58And as far as people holding, you know, legislative positions being arrested are concerned, forget
11:04us sitting MLA.
11:05We've also had, you know, sitting chief ministers like Karuna Nidhi, Jail Alita, who were arrested
11:10during Congress regimes.
11:12We had, you know, sitting chief ministers like Shibu Soren, Lalu Prasad Yadav, who were arrested
11:19during Congress regimes.
11:20So, I don't think the position of power that you hold is in any way a limiting factor.
11:27Ma'am, your time is up.
11:28The question is more about the charge, not the arrest.
11:31On what grounds was the PSA applied to a sitting MLA?
11:35Because there is no assault that is in question.
11:37There has been verbal abuse.
11:39Which, does it warrant a PSA is the question?
11:43And also then, if other party members come in to protest, then put them in detention.
11:47That is also somewhere down the line, a violation of their constitutional rights.
11:51I want to bring in Ifra Jaan, the spokesperson for the national conference.
11:57Ifra Jaan, what is the stand of the NC?
12:01Because the chief minister has come out.
12:04He's vehemently said that the charge of PSA on a sitting MLA is unfair.
12:09But having said that, Mr. Malik should apologize.
12:13Is that what the stand is?
12:14You see, firstly, number one, there was no assault, as Ms. Sanju Verma is claiming.
12:22No assault ever took place.
12:25And Section 163 BNS was not in place.
12:28In fact, now Section 163 BNS has been put in place because his followers are coming out and protesting against his detention.
12:37So the day he was protested, and before that, there was no 163 Section BNS in place.
12:42Here is what transpired. Here is a person, yes, I partly agree with Sanju Verma Ji.
12:48He is known to speak in a provocative manner.
12:51That I agree with.
12:52In fact, he has made such statements even against the national conference.
12:56In fact, even PDP, for instance, for that matter, had filed an FIR against him two to three months back because he was known to the way he would speak.
13:05But the question is, you have Bharatiya Nyai Sanhita precisely for acts like this.
13:12If there is a person who uses unparliamentary language against a DC or any post officer or a minister, you go, you file an FIR against BNS.
13:22What you don't do is that you use a preventive detention law to put a sitting MLA who you do not like, who has been opposing the BJP, who has been fighting for the rights of his constituency.
13:35You don't just go and put him under preventive detention law and say, okay, now this person is not coming out for six, for two years.
13:43Because why? Because we did not like what he said.
13:45In fact, if I were to show you clips of BJP MLAs who have said far more provocative things, who have even said that we will kill this officer, they have been let loose.
13:57In fact, not even a BNS section is applied to them.
14:00So, the question really is not whether you agree with Maharaj Malik's statements, whether you agree with his ideology.
14:06He is from Aam Admi Party, we are from national conference.
14:09The question is, can an elected member be simply put under detention for two long years because the Bharatiya Junta party doesn't like what he said?
14:21All right, Sanju Verma, would you want to answer, you know, would that come up with a rebuttal?
14:26But let me also add to it.
14:28All right, so you've placed a sitting MLA under PSA where there was no assault, but there was verbal abuse.
14:34Then, when his party members come into Jammu and Kashmir to protest, which is their constitutional right, you put them under detention as well.
14:41And you'll forget about holding a press conference, they can't even go and meet any other political leader.
14:46For a moment, Sanju Verma, for somebody, you know, you're somebody with a fair disposition.
14:51Juxtapose this with Ajit Pawar, the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, who practically threatened a sitting IPS officer, DGP, on the phone line,
15:00threatened her from dispensing her business.
15:03Nothing is done there.
15:05How is anyone supposed to make sense of all of this, Sanju Verma?
15:10You know, Preeti, let me say one thing for the benefit of your audience.
15:14I disagree with, you know, the National Conference spokesperson.
15:18Section 163 of the BNSS was already applicable.
15:22It was after that, when an incendiary situation was abetted by Maharaj Malik, that he was put under detention by the Kashmir Public Services Act of 1978.
15:35But I want to read out his statement of Poonch DGPC, General Secretary Harcharan Singh.
15:42He welcomed Malik's arrest and said, I'm thankful to the LG administration and also to Omar Abdullah government for the arrest of this Dota MLA.
15:50He used to promote drugs, he used to vandalize relief material, he used to vandalize medical equipment and he has a habit of abusing bureaucracy and senior IAS officers.
16:03He's a habitual troublemaker.
16:05So first and foremost, Maharaj Malik, point number one, point number two, Sanjay Singh, the Raja Sabha, NPO Vam Admi Party, you know, giving long lectures on how his freedom of speech is being thwarted.
16:21Inko sharam nahi aati hai, you know, Punjab has been ravaged by floods.
16:26And what is the situation there?
16:28We have Arvind Kejriwal who was busy giving press conferences, doing press conferences in Rajgore.
16:33So Sanjay Singh is busy saying, oh, Modi Sarkar Aam Admi Party say, dar gai.
16:39Inke bhagwantman aspataal mein bharti hai.
16:42Who was on the ground in Punjab?
16:44It was the NDRF.
16:46It was the FDRF.
16:47It was the BJP dispensation.
16:50You know, we gave 1600 crores for flood relief in Punjab.
16:55And what is Kejriwal busy doing?
16:57Kejriwal has run up a bill of 87 lakh rupees in the last three months
17:02by using the state aircraft of Punjab as his personal wagoner.
17:07I tell you, Preethi, Sanjay Singh ka jo rohna dhona hai,
17:11that is an attempt to deflect and digress from his incompetence in Punjab.
17:15Let's just say, okay, Sanjay Baba, you know, once again, for the benefit of our viewers,
17:19let's just say it's incompetence.
17:20Let's say he's completely incompetent.
17:22And he blamed the central government for their own failings, which was the Amadmi Party in Punjab.
17:28Even then, how is it and why is it that he and his delegation was put under house arrest
17:33when they came to express their constitutional rights, which was to protest and hold a press conference?
17:38Number one, Sanjay Verma, you still haven't answered.
17:40Ma'am, and I'll circle back to you on this.
17:41At one end, you have somebody who's clearly used abusive language.
17:47But on the other, you have the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra who threatened a DGP.
17:51Nothing.
17:53No action against him.
17:54All right.
17:55I want to go back now to Irfa Jan from the NC.
17:59Irfa Jan, you know, the fact is, which Sanjay Verma also pointed out right in the beginning of her submission,
18:04this was an MLA who has been troublesome in the past,
18:07especially coming in from Doda, which is already reeling under floods, number one.
18:11Number two, very, very sensitive area.
18:14You know, history stands testimony to that.
18:17He's been a repeat offender when it comes down to the language that he uses,
18:21to the means that he dispenses to protest and, you know, speak up against the government.
18:29Therefore, the PSA has been explained in that nature by the administration.
18:34You see, Preeti ji, if this is the same yardstick that is used for other BJP MLAs,
18:41literally every BJP MLA would be in jail right now.
18:44In fact, if you look at, we've been working with Maharaj Malik for so long,
18:49his way of speaking was not even 10% of what the other BJP MLAs do.
18:54In fact, this was a situation where he was asking for better and more relief material to be given to Doda victims.
19:00And the whole controversy revolved around the hospital staff because he wanted more facilities,
19:06hospital facilities for the Doda, for people in Doda.
19:09That was the heart of the entire situation, which Ms. Sanju Verma is not going into.
19:14But let's, okay, let's agree for a minute.
19:16Okay, you don't like the way he speaks.
19:18You don't like the words he used.
19:20Fair enough.
19:21File a case under BNS.
19:23Go and present proof in the court of law and let the court decide.
19:27Instead, what you do is, you don't let the court decide.
19:30You show no evidence to any of, you show no evidence to any of this effect.
19:35Instead, you just say, okay, you're now going to be in jail for two years
19:38because BJP doesn't like what you're saying.
19:40And obviously, because you're an opposition MLA.
19:43Now, then what happens is that you have Sanjay Singh Sahab,
19:47who happens to be a sitting Rajesh Sabha MP.
19:50Now, he's not used any parliamentary, unparliamentary language.
19:54He comes and says, listen, I want to give a press conference in Srinagar,
19:58not even in Doda, where I want to speak to the press and say why this is wrong.
20:02Suddenly, what happens is the gate is locked.
20:04Now, you have to look at this as a part of a larger pattern of democratic backsliding in Jammu and Kashmir.
20:10We have seen similar scenes on 13th July when the Honorable Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir
20:15was one day out of the blue arrested by the BJP government and said,
20:18the deputy chief minister gets arrested and you have locks placed outside.
20:24You have to see that Jammu and Kashmir has no Rajesh Sabha representation in the parliament
20:29because for years, BJP is not even announcing the Rajesh Sabha seats.
20:33You have by-elections coming in for Badgaam and for Nagrota.
20:37And the BJP is not even coming up with...
20:3910 seconds.
20:40Sanju Wanma, you can answer the question that I asked you again
20:42because I need to go into a quick break.
20:44Go ahead, ma'am.
20:44You know, Preeti, my final point is this.
20:49I refuse to, you know, take the bait.
20:52Each time there is somebody from the opposition who's indulged in vandalism.
20:56Oh, Sanju Ramah, let's discuss about Ajit Pawar.
20:58Have you forgotten Mahua Moitra who said Amit Shah's head should be chopped and placed on the table?
21:03Is Mahua Moitra in detention?
21:05No.
21:05So please don't try these false equivalences all the time.
21:08Mehras Malik, if he's been detained, he deserves to be there.
21:1210 seconds.
21:13Irfaa Jan, you have 10 seconds.
21:15I need to cut across to an exclusive interview that I have lined up.
21:18Go ahead.
21:18Irfaa Jan, make your point.
21:18You see, the thing is that this fits into a much larger pattern of how BJP is treating the MLAs
21:25who are not on the BJP side in Jammu and Kashmir.
21:29It's not giving the statehood back.
21:31It's not conducting Rajasvaba elections.
21:33All right, I need to close this debate and I'm going to cut across right now to this exclusive
21:36conversation that I had with Nishikant Dubey, which is going to play out and the entire podcast
21:41drops on Saturday.
21:43But listen in.
21:44You have Nishikant Dubey speaking on the cross-voting which happened during vice presidential elections.
21:48First of all, congratulations on the vice president elections.
21:53Badhai ho, kafi.
21:55Aapne, joh Jairam Ramesh ji hai, unho ne to bula thad 315, aapne unko co-tweet karke basically
22:00cross-voting ki kataaksh ki.
22:02Aapko kya lagta hai, kis ne cross-vote kiya ho ga?
22:06Kahaan se aya hai ye extra vote?
22:09Ye jo politics hai na.
22:10Ji.
22:10Satta ke bina bhaut loog nahe reasa.
22:12Koon si party hai, joh weakest link hai abhi mahaagat bandhan mein?
22:17Sabhi political party hai.
22:18Sabhi political party hai.
22:19Chari, mein bataati ho, kongres ne, ek kongres ka pakshi honne lag raha hai ki
22:22ye aam aadmi party ho sakti hai.
22:24Inke joh, kum se kum, joh 9 meese 6 MP hai, inho ne kuch kiya hai.
22:28Ya Uddhaf Thakre ji ke 2 MPs pe shak ho raha hai abhi.
22:32Heman Surin ji ki party pe thoda shak ho raha hai.
22:36Kis nne kya ho ga?
22:37To sab to aapne pari kar hai hai nai ki.
22:39Aapko kya lagta hai, kis nne kya ho ga?
22:41Aysa koi ho nai hai.
22:43Koi aysi party nai, jisse ki cross voting nai.
22:46Koi party nai hai, jisse cross voting nai.
22:47Kongres nai bhi cross voting nai.
22:48Itini bhi nai hoi hai.
22:50Cross voting, mtlab aadbas kitna ba?
22:51Maikara ho ki eek-do, sabhi logon nai kiya ho ga.
22:54Kongres se bhi eek-do logon nai kiya ho ga.
22:55Samajwaadi party se bhi eek-do logon nai kiya ho ga.
22:57Uddhaf Thakre se bhi kiya ho ga.
22:59NCP se bhi kiya ho ga.
23:00JMMM se bhi kiya ho ga.
23:02Sab se kya hai?
23:04Kya aapko yie responsibility di gai thi?
23:05Nanei, mujhe koye responsibility di nai.
23:07Yes, but I know that this is an entire soul.
23:10In this case, I tell you that 30 cross-voting will be 30 cross-voting.
23:13Yes.
23:14But in the last 30?
23:16They said that it was 315.
23:19They said that it was 315.
23:21But it was our strength.
23:23After that, after that, it was...
23:25No, because it was 427.
23:27I mean, you can get 11 ISRCP.
23:29No, no.
23:30You can get 439.
23:32You can get 452.
23:34One of them will be 30 votes.
23:38And the 15 votes are invalid.
23:40So, where do you think it's invalid?
23:44The opposition has invalidated.
23:46The opposition has invalidated.
23:48The opposition has invalidated.
23:50So, it's 28-30.
23:52I'm going to go to your calculations.
23:54I said that 30 votes are less than 28 votes.
23:56So, you'll get 28 votes.
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