New Delhi, November 20: The government on Wednesday reminded the Opposition about emergency imposed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975 when being asked about senior National Conference (NC) leader Farooq Abdullah's detention. According to a tweet by ANI, G Kishan Reddy, MoS Home Affairs in Rajya Sabha said time to time some measures have to be taken in the interest of the nation. "During emergency 36 MPs were arrested to save the chair of 1 person, while we are working keeping law and order in mind", Reddy said. Abdullah was detained under the controversial Public Safety Act (PSA).

During his address in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Reddy spoke about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. He said at present, only 609 people are in jail and the rest have been released. "Total 5,161 people including stone-pelters, separatists and some political leaders were arrested preventively on August 5", Reddy added. Winter Session of Parliament Begins; PM Narendra Modi Calls For 'Frank Discussions on All Matters'.

Here's the tweet:

On the first day of the Winter Session of the Parliament, the Lok Sabha reverberated to the question “Where is Farooq Abdullah?”. On Monday, the Opposition attacked the government over the detention of sitting Lok Sabha MP Farooq Abdullah and termed the National Conference leader's detention as illegal and demanded that he be allowed to attend the House.

In the last week, the opposition slammed the government for allowing European Union (EU) lawmakers to visit the Valley but not Indian leaders and also alleged that the Centre had left "no stone unturned in internationalising Kashmir".

Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah, both former J&K chief ministers, were put under house arrest with several other leaders after the government abrogated Article 370, which granted special status to J&K and bifurcated it into two Union Territories on August 5 this year.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 20, 2019 02:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).