Mehraj Malik, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief and MLA of Jammu and Kashmir, was detained on Monday under the Stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) for allegedly disturbing the public system in Doda district.
This is the first time that an existing MLA has been detained under PSA. PSA is an administrative law that allows to detain in some cases for two years without allegations or hearing.
Officials said that earlier in the day, the 37 -year -old AAP MLA was taken into custody by the police in the post bungalow when he was planning to visit the flood affected areas of his constituency.
He said that after the police prepared a doseer against him, he was transferred to Bhadrawah District Jail under PSA on the orders of Doda Deputy Commissioner Harvinder Singh.
This action has been taken against Malik, who is often in controversies with his statements, when government employees have staged a massive protest. These employees have come out in support of the deputy commissioner, as Malik launched a derogatory campaign against him through social media.
The protesting staff accused the MLA of abusing senior government officials including doctors and provoking youth against the government machinery.
In a statement, the protesting staff appreciated the deputy commissioner for “exceptional service, honesty and dedication to public welfare”, and said that his kind approach has generally made him a “ray of hope” for the residents of Doda and a particularly flood affected population.
He described the use of “derogatory language and unfounded allegations” against the officer as “unfortunate, condemnable and unacceptable” and condemned the “rude and irresponsible” behavior of the MLA.
Officials said that in the last one year, dozens of cases and complaints have been registered against Malik for his ‘rude’ behavior and quarrel with government officials in the hill district.
He said that many other close associates of AAP leader have also been detained under the PSA, while additional deployment has been done in sensitive areas to maintain law and order.
The opposition PDP and the People’s Conference condemned Malik’s detention under PSA and described it as an attempt to crush disagreement and an attack on democracy.
During the detention at Dak Bungalow, Malik posted a video on his social media account, claiming that he was being prevented from meeting the people of his constituency, who are “extremely afflicted” due to the recent flood and torrential rains.
The MLA accused the DCP of organizing protests against him by employees.
Malik said, “There are many areas in my constituency where there is no road connectivity, ration and shelter after the houses are damaged, but I have been kept in custody here.”
He said, “I have no right to speak or oppose my people. Some people are trying to give communal color to my objections against the deputy commissioner.”
Malik claimed in his video, “He has registered a fake case against my six colleagues and is torturing the poor. I am not against anyone who is working for the good of the people.”
In April, Malik clashed with some BJP and PDP members in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly complex, when the saffron party leaders objected to their alleged remarks that during Hindu festivals get drunk, while PDP legislators strongly objected to their statement on PDP founder Mufti Mohammad Saeed.
However, Malik later claimed that his statement on Hindus was taken out of the context.
In the 2024 Jammu and Kashmir elections, Malik defeated his nearest BJP rival in Doda constituency by a margin of over 4,538 votes and registered the first win for his party in the Union Territory.
He won the District Development Council election from Kahara constituency in Doda on 24 December 2020. He resigned from the post after winning the assembly elections in October last year.
PDP MLA from Pulwama Waheed Para said in a post on X, “I strongly condemn the use of PSA against MLA Mehraj Malik. Such harsh laws are used to suppress political voices and crush disagreement. Such powerful measures are no way to resolve differences in democracy.”
People’s conference leader Sajjad Ghani Lone in a statement described it as another attack on the democratic fabric of Jammu and Kashmir.
Lone said, “We strongly condemn the use of PSA against MLA Mehraj Malik. This is a democracy.”
He emphasized that such actions make the democratic process just a show.
Lone said that despite elections, the mandate remains powerless. He asked, “The will of the people of Jammu and Kashmir is constantly being suppressed. If an elected representative is not given the right to express his feelings, what is the meaning of holding elections?”
Lone warned that such steps will deepen the crisis of credibility in front of democratic institutions in the region. He said, “This is a very sad day for already threatened democracy.”
