CPI (M) leader Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami Tuesday termed the incident in which a resident from central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district was jailed for just saying that he had “more expectations from local officers”, as unwarranted, uncalled for and brazen violation of the fundamental rights of people.
In a Press release issued to The Kashmiriyat, Tarigami said fifty-year-old Sajad Rashid Sofi of Safapora in Ganderbal has been reportedly booked for his comment made during interaction of locals with the J&K Lieutenant Governor’s Advisor, Baseer Ahmad Khan on the directions of Ganderbal Deputy Commissioner, an IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre.
“He (Sofi) was part of a delegation which had gone to meet LG’s Advisor to demand a degree college in Safapora. If such incidents happen during the reach out programme of the LG administration, it can create a sense of fear among the people instead of solving their grievances.”
“Such an attitude of the officer is highly authoritarian and detrimental to the larger interests of not only people, but to administration itself. It damages and dents the credibility of the institution the officer represents,” Tarigami said.
He said that police did not release him even when the court granted him interim bail as he has been reportedly booked additionally under sections 107 and 151 of the IPC. “This is a brazen misuse of power and authority besides amounting to violation of fundamental rights of a citizen.”
He urged upon J&K LG Manoj Sinha to intervene into the matter personally and ensure that the man is not only released immediately, but action under law is taken against the erring officer for misuse of power and authority.