Shadow Correspondent
Jammu, Sep 06:
Mehraj Malik, lone Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly representing Doda constituency, has been booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA) by the authorities, official sources said on Monday. The legislator’s detention under the stringent Act comes close on the heels of a controversy over the shifting of a damaged health centre to a private building in the district.
Official sources confirmed to ETV Bharat that Mehraj Malik has been booked under the PSA, and he has been arrested by the police and taken to an undisclosed location. The MLA has been booked after 18 First Information Reports (FIRs) and 10 daily diaries were reported against him, added the sources.
A bulletin by the J&K Legislative Assembly Secretariat also published the PSA against the AAP MLA intimated by DC Doda in
AAP MLA Mehraj Malik
terms of Rule 260 of the Rule of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the J&K Legislative Assembly.
This is for the first time in Jammu and Kashmir that a sitting MLA has been slapped with the PSA. “The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Speaker, Chief Minister and others have been informed about the slapping of PSA on Malik,” said a source.
He said that a dossier was being prepared by the Jammu and Kashmir police against Malik on his derogatory language against doctors, officials, and creating hurdles in relief distribution in the flood-hit Doda.
What Led To The PSA Against The AAP MLA?
The PSA against the AAP MLA comes a day after he was detained at Dak Bungalow Doda for allegedly using abusive language against the district magistrate Doda over a row around the shifting of a damaged government health centre to a private building which he livestreamed on his Facebook page on September 5.
During the Facebook livestream on the shifting of Health Centre Kencha in Thathri block, Malik, who was reportedly confronted by an activist of a particular party, accused the district administration and the police of bias and allegedly used abusive language against the DC Doda. A day later, Malik, along with five others was booked under an FIR at Gandoh Police Station following a complaint by the concerned Block Medical Officer.
Sources further said that to ensure a law and order situation, more people will be slapped with PSA.
The lone AAP legislator in J&K is not new to controversies. In May this year, the Doda MLA had threatened doctors and paramedics at Government Medical College Doda of dire consequences while calling them a “mafia”. The threats were met with a strike by the doctors at the medical college against Malik, against whom a case was also registered by a lady doctor at the time.
Malik courted another controversy in July with personal comments about Education Minister Sakina Itoo over the school timings after the summer vacation.
Kejriwal Condemns
AAP Convener Arvind Kejriwal condemned Malik’s detention under PSA while calling the lone AAP legislator in J&K as “lion”.
“Is demanding a hospital for the people your area such a grave crime that an elected MLA has to be thrown jail for it. Mehraj Malik is the lion of the Aam Aadmi Party. He will always remain the voice of the people, fighting for their rights. Jail, threats, and conspiracies… none of these can ever scare any soldier of AAP,” Kejriwal wrote in a post on X.
‘Dictatorship Of The Regime’, Says AAP Leader Sanjay Singh
AAP Rajya Sabha MP, Sanjay Singh has condemned the arrest of Malik by the authorities in Jammu and Kashmir. “AAP MLA @MehrajMalikAAP is raising his voice for a hospital in his area, but he has been arrested by the Jammu Kashmir Police. This is the dictatorship of the regime; @MehrajMalikAAP is a resilient leader who is not afraid of such cowardly actions,” Singh wrote in a post on X.
The Aam Aadmi Party Jammu & Kashmir also condemned the “unlawful arrest” of Malik. In a statement issued here, a party spokesperson said that Malik had been detained and an FIR has been lodged against him, “with disturbing speculations of slapping the PSA (Public Safety Act) on him”.
“This is nothing but an attempt to suppress the voice of the people and silence genuine democratic and public concerns raised by our leader. Such undemocratic actions reflect bureaucratic arrogance, which the people of Jammu & Kashmir will never accept,” the statement read.
“AAP J&K stands firmly with Shri Mehraj Malik in this struggle. We call upon the administration to immediately withdraw the FIR, release him, and stop intimidating leaders who raise the voice of the poor and marginalized,” it added.
J&K Politicians React
The AAP legislator’s PSA detention has evoked a sharp reaction from Jammu and Kashmir politicians. PDP leader and Pulwama MLA condemned the action against the fellow legislator saying “draconian laws are weaponised to silence political voices & crush dissent”.
“Strongly condemn the use of PSA against MLA Mehraj Malik. Such draconian laws are weaponised to silence political voices & crush dissent. Such authoritarian measures are no way to resolve differences in a democracy,” Para wrote in a post on X.
“We strongly condemn the use of the PSA against @MehrajMalikAAP. This is a soulless democracy. The will of the people of J and K continues to be subservient. What is the fun of having elections if an elected representative cannot voice his sentiments. A very sad day for an already endangered democracy,” J&K People’s Conference and Handwara, Sajad Lone said.
Ruling NC legislator, Salman Sagar also condemned the PSA against Malik. “Strongly condemn the use of PSA against MLA Doda @MehrajMalikAAP. Detaining elected representatives under draconian laws sets a dangerous precedent in J&K post-2019, stifling democracy and silencing dissent. Free speech and political voices must be protected, not suppressed,” Sagar, who represents Hazratbal constituency wrote in a post on X.
