The PSA is a 1978 Jammu and Kashmir law, often known as quite stringent or of draconian measure which allows authorities to detain without a trial for up to two years.
Under Section 107 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, Omar Abdullah,49 and Mehbooba Mufti,60 were booked and been in detention since the Modi government in August, 2019, scrapped Article 370, which grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
However, this detention was fixed to end last night, but it was not be. Both prominent leaders are now booked under the PSA.
P Chidambaram says, "Shocked and devastated by the cruel invocation of the Public Safety Act against Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and others."
P Chidambaram, a Congressman and former central minister, on Friday tweeted, "Detention without charges is the worst abomination in a democracy. When unjust laws are passed or unjust laws are invoked, what option do the people have than to protest peacefully?"
Chidambaram gave a call for "peaceful resistance and civil disobedience."
Earlier, the BJP, on its part, said it opposed the prolonged detention of any individual, but wouldn't hesitate to support it "if it contributes to peace and restoring normalcy."
Omar Abdullah's father, Farooq Abdullah,82 (another ex-CM), has been in detention under the PSA for months. On Thursday, three others besides Omar and Mehbooba Mufti were booked under the law.
Iltija Mufti, the daughter of Mehbooba Mufti, on Thursday tweeted, "Slapping the draconian PSA on 2 ex J&K CMs is expected from an autocratic regime that books 9-year-olds for seditious remarks." Currently, she operates her mother's account.
Iltija appeared to be referring to arrests made in Karnataka, including that of the mother of a 9-year-old, in connection with a school play.
"Question is," she said, "How much longer will we act as bystanders as they desecrate what this nation stands for?"
