Srinagar, May 03: Expressing grave concern over the harrowing Covid outbreak in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail, incarcerated Er Abdul Rashid lead Jammu Kashmir Awami Itehad Party today sought LG’s direct intervention for release of all Kashmiri political detainees. Party top brass urged current administration to understand gravity of the situation, more than 250 inmates including jail staff, two superintendents have been infected by Coronavirus. Four people have lost their lives, just a few days back four time MP from Bihar Mohd Shahbuddin succumbed to Covid-19 after contracting infection from inside the jail premises.
Expressing deep concern about safety of all Kashmiri political leaders including AIP Supremo Er Abdul Rashid, Party leadership demanded New Delhi to act responsibly and not put to risk precious lives of political detainees. Tihar is currently filled to the hilt with about twenty thousand inmates, prison is at its most congested ever. It is almost double the official capacity which has made social distancing and isolation a major problem.
Even Delhi high court asked the Government to expeditiously decongest Tihar Jail in view of growing covid cases. Until April 6th, jail had only 19 infected prisoners. At that time, not a single jail staff had the disease.
Moreover even last year many prisoners were released from jails across India to decongest prisoner in view of Covid-19. Politics and political ideology is to stay forever, our stand vis-a-vis all outstanding issues is sacrosanct but that doesn’t give any present day Government of India license to malevolently toy with lives of Kashmiri leadership said Party Spokesperson Sheeban Ashai. Ashai on behalf of the party fervently reiterated their immediate demand for release of all Kashmiri political prisoners particularly Party Chairman Er Abdul Rashid on grounds of growing Covid-19 virus threat in jails across India.
