The Independent lawmaker and MLA Langate Er Rashid on Thursday was denied permission to meet the agitating detunes in Baramulla sub-jail by the jail authorities.In a statement to CNS he said, “there can be nothing inhuman than beating prisoners inside jail, keeping them locked like animals and denying them food and other basic immunities.”“Government must understand that they are political prisoners and not criminals and under all circumstances and laws their rights need to be protected. It is shameful that the said jail superintendent has been herself involved in insulting, abusing and torturing prisoners, leaving dozens injured,” he said.
The erstwhile civil engineer Rashid justified the hunger strike by detunes and said that any delay in resolving the issue may deteriorate situation further.He accused the jail superintendent Ms Rajini Sighal of “doing all this just to give a cover to her corruption cases and other misdeeds she is known for”. “The said officer is known for her communal approach and hurting the sentiments of detunes inside jails.”Rashid said, “it seems that getting cue from Bhopal ‘fake’ encounter, in which seven detunes were killed, there is every possibility that somewhere in J&K authorities may repeat Bhopal massacre.” Eight SIMI unarmed members were killed in Bhopal by police and there are calls for investigation in to the incident.However, he warned the jail superintendent of dire consequences if she did not mend her behaviour. (CNS)