In Occupied Kashmir on Saturday morning, the Indian government detained 75 political leaders to forestall political unrest.
The District Council election, concluded early this week, was the first such exercise since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government last year revoked the special status of the Muslim-majority, Indian-controlled region. New Delhi then cracked down on the opposition and rounded up hundreds of people to pre-empt protests and violence.
The new detentions, including separatist leaders and members of the banned Jamaat-i-Islami group, were for preventive custody, said a senior police official, who asked not to be identified in line with official policy.
The detentions undermine the verdict of the people, said Imran Nabi Dar, spokesman for the National Conference, a regional party and a key member of the alliance.
The alliance’s victory shows that Kashmiris have not accepted Modi’s decision to end occupied Kashmir’s special status, said Omar Abdullah, former chief minister and head of the National Conference.
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