Jammu, Apr 28 (KNS): A day after the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court quashed his detention under the Public Safety Act (PSA), Doda East MLA Mehraj Din Malik on Tuesday alleged that “humanity is being ruined in the name of religion” and raised the issue of unemployment, claiming political power was being used to suppress common people.
Speaking to news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS) after his release, MLA Malik said, “But some people fight in the name of religion. Whether they are Hindus or Muslims, they don’t believe in religion. If there is a religion, then learn to walk on it. And no religion says that humanity should be ruined.”
The High Court, while quashing his detention, had observed that allegations falling within the realm of ordinary law and order cannot be stretched to justify preventive detention under the garb of “public order”.
MLA Malik, who spent eight months in jail, said his thinking remained unchanged despite incarceration. “Time is in captivity, thinking is in captivity. I spent eight months in jail. How many people have died? They die in accidents, they die of bullets, they die of riots. And there are so many people in jail who don’t know their whereabouts for years.”
The legislator also dismissed the government’s drug-free campaign as a mask for a deeper crisis. “It is not a drug-free campaign. It is unemployment. Parents are trying to make their children study. What will happen after that? Unemployment is such that the common man is worried.”
Taking a dig at the administration, MLA Malik said, “When I went to the government for the first time, I thought they would bring some reform. But the people who have power have no policy.”
He further claimed no improvement was visible in schools, hostels, or assemblies in Jammu and Kashmir during his eight months in jail. Asserting that his thoughts could not be imprisoned, Malik said, “They have forgotten that they cannot imprison Maharaj’s thoughts, because this is the demand of humanity.”
The MLA also urged the youth not to stay away from politics. “Without politics, our future cannot be better. Look at the big wars of the world. Trump’s tweet comes and the war ends. That is politics. We are far from that politics. When a person like me comes into politics, he goes to jail.”
Referring to other inmates, Malik said, “Today I am here because I am an MLA. A common man is in jail. No one comes to meet them. Their families don’t know where their people are. This is a game of time. We have to fight this battle together and win.” (KNS)
