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Hurriyat Conference leader and People's Front chairman Abdul Ghani Lone was put under house arrest in Jammu Wednesday amid threats of violence by the right-wing Hindu Party Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party activists during a rally in Kathua.
Fifteen party activists were also taken into custody.
''Our 15 party office-bearers, including two vice-chairmen, have been arrested by the authorities stopping them from taking part in the party rally to be held at Kathua,'' Lone told UNI over the telephone Wednesday morning from his house in Jammu.
Inspector General of Police R V Raju said, ''Lone has been kept under protection keeping in view the threats from the Shiv Sena and BJP activists. The police did not want to take any chance in regard of the security of Lone. He has been kept in house just for his own security and we have deployed adequate troops around his house.''
''We don't want any law and order problem. We have to ensure the security of Lone,'' said the IGP.
Lone alleged that the authorities were not allowing the People's Front activists to take part in the rally at Kathua. Karan Singh, Jammu province vice chairman and Dr Ghulam Mohammad Hubi were among those arrested and some were missing since Tuesday evening.''
Superintendent of Police Kathua Manohar Singh told UNI that the rally has not been banned by the authorities but some Sena, BJP and Congress activists had given a call to disrupt it and some people had been taken into custody as a preventive measure to ensure law and order during the rally.
Lone said they wanted to hold a rally in Kathua in support of the Centre's decision to have a dialogue with separatist leaders of Kashmir.
''We just wanted to mobilise public opinion in support of the Government of India's decision that conducive atmosphere has been prepared for heading towards the resolution of the Kashmir issue,'' said Lone, adding that we just want to convey the message that the Kashmir issue could only be solved by negotiations.
The Sena, BJP, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Congress activists had threatened to disrupt the rally and even asked the police not to allow the People's Front leaders to hold any public meeting at Kathua.
Fearing trouble during the rally police did not allow the leaders to stay at Kathua Tuesday night and stopped several activists from gathering at the venue.
Lone alleged that this move of the authorities was totally undemocratic and that the National Conference Government was responsible for disrupting the peace process.
UNI
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