Extension of detention of Mehbooba Mufti under PSA an abuse of law: P Chidambaram

NEW DELHI: The extension of the detention of former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti under the Public Safety Act (PSA) is an abuse of law and an assault on the Constitutional rights guaranteed to every citizen, Congress leader P Chidambaram said on Saturday.

"How is the 61-year-old former chief minister, a protected person under security guard round the clock, a threat to public safety? She rightly rejected the offer to release her on conditions that any self-respecting political leader would refuse. One of the reasons given for her detention -- the colour of her party's flag -- was laughable," Chidambaram tweeted.

"Why should she undertake not to speak against the abrogation of Article 370? Is it not part of the right to free speech? I am one of the counsels appearing in a case in the Supreme Court challenging the abrogation of Article 370. If I speak against Article 370 -- as I must -- is that a threat to public safety? We must collectively raise our voices and demand "FREE MEHBOOBA MUFTI IMMEDIATELY"," he added.

Mufti's detention under PSA was extended by three months on Friday.

Mufti and many other leaders of Kashmir, including Farooq Abdullah, were put in detention following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution that accorded special status to the erstwhile state.

Earlier, the former J-K CM's detention was extended on May 5 for three months.