Srinagar, April 10: Hours after the National Investigation Agency arrested banned Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah cautioned the Centre to act slow on Wednesday, stating that nothing could be achieved from this. The NC chief claimed the more atrocity is enforced on these leaders; more hate would rise among Kashmiris.

Expressing his opinion the arrest of Malik, Abdullah said in Srinagar, "Mujhe bahot afsos hai, isse koi chiz milegi nahi.Jitna inpe zulm karenge utni aag aur bhadkegi (I am sorry to hear the news, as this will lead to noting. The more atrocity is enforced on these leaders, more hate would rise)."  Farooq Abdullah Lambastes BJP For Promising to Abolish Article 370 in Lok Sabha Elections 2019 Manifesto; Threatens Mass Rebellion. 

Stating that arresting leaders is not the answer for peace in Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah added, "Insan differences rakh sakta hai. Iska matlab ye nahi ki jo tumahri soch mein nahi hai,usko band karein. Ye Hindustan ka raasta nahi hai (People can keep their differences, but it doesn't mean to arrest those whom you don't like. This is not the way India operates)."

Earlier in the day, NIA arrested JKLF chief Yasin Malik in connection with a case related to the funding of terror and separatist groups in Jammu and Kashmir. He was shifted to Tihar jail under police protection from Jammu’s Kot Balwal jail, after special NIA court in Jammu gave the go-ahead for his custodial interrogation by the probe agency on Tuesday.

The case was registered by NIA on May 30, 2017, against separatist and secessionist leaders, including unknown members of the Hurriyat Conference, who have been acting in connivance with active militants of proscribed terrorist organisations Hizbul Mujahideen, Dukhtaran-e-Millat, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and other outfits and gangs.

According to the FIR filed by NIA, these outfits were involved in raising, receiving and collecting funds through various illegal means, including hawala transactions, for funding separatist and terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir and for causing disruption in the Valley by way of pelting stones on the security forces, burning schools, damaging public property and waging war against India. It had also named Hafiz Saeed, the Pakistan-based chief of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa, the front for the banned LeT in the FIR. Farooq Abdullah Calls RSS 'Murderers of Mahatma Gandhi', Alleges BJP Responsible for Death of 'Father of Nation'.

Along with the terror funding cases, Malik is also facing related to the kidnapping of Rubaiya Saeed, daughter of then Union home minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, in 1989, and the killing of four IAF personnel in 1990. The Centre had banned JKLF last month, citing proofs of terror funding.

(With Inputs From Agencies)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 10, 2019 03:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).