Srinagar, Oct 19 (KNS): People's Conference president Sajad Gani Lone has voiced his support for AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi's criticism regarding the Public Safety Act (PSA), specifically addressing the perceived inaction of former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on the matter. Lone stated that the PSA is a "draconian law" that has been used excessively by successive governments in Jammu and Kashmir.
Owaisi's criticism stemmed from a statement made by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who suggested that he would revoke the PSA through an ordinance if he were to regain power. Owaisi responded by lambasting all governments in Jammu and Kashmir since 1978 for allegedly misusing the law.
Lone echoed Owaisi's sentiment, asserting that no government in Jammu and Kashmir had attempted to repeal the PSA when they had the opportunity to do so. "They never repealed this draconian law when they could. They never will," Lone stated. He further emphasized that the PSA has been invoked freely by both elected governments and administrations under central rule.
The People's Conference president welcomed Owaisi's remarks, stating, "I have to say it is for the first time that someone from the rest of the country has called a spade a spade".
In addition to the PSA, Lone also criticized the existing police verification system in Jammu and Kashmir, denouncing it as "retributive" and unjust. He highlighted that this system, based on "retributive justice and collective punishment," has been employed by various administrations throughout their tenures.
Lone elaborated on the implications of this verification system, stating that even in 2025, "we have a law from the Stone Age, wherein a daughter or a son is punished for a crime committed by the father or mother; or a father is punished for a crime committed by a son or a daughter". He added that the impact extends to a wide range of relationships, with cousins being punished for the actions of cousins.
He also noted that passports and government jobs are denied based on this verification system, along with various other denials related to employment or business opportunities. Lone asserted that this system has been further weaponized in recent years but has been in use for the past three decades, adding that he has personally been a victim of this system.
Sajad Lone has previously attacked Omar Abdullah on the subject of the PSA. In 2022, Lone questioned whether the Union Territory assembly even had the power to amend laws pertaining to public order. He said that those who originally wrote the law are now lying to the people of Kashmir. Lone has also stated that the PSA was predominantly used to target Kashmiris.
The PSA, enacted in 1978 under the government of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, was initially intended to curb timber smuggling in Jammu and Kashmir. However, it was later used against terrorists and separatists following the rise of militancy in the region in 1990. The law allows for the detention of individuals for up to two years without trial.
