As Lok Sabha passes Bill giving J-K groups ST status, Pir Panjal on guard, Omar Abdullah says ‘stopped’ from visit

Amid apprehensions of protests over the Lok Sabha clearing a Billextending Scheduled Tribe status to several communities in Jammu and Kashmir, the Union Territory administration on Wednesday resorted to precautionary measures, includingsuspension of mobile Internet in the Pir Panjal region covering Rajouri and Poonch districts.

While the situation remained peaceful, a political row erupted over National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah being stopped from visiting the border Rajouri district.

The former chief minister claimed that the police initially locked him up inside his house in Jammu, and later, escorted him to his office in Sher-i-Kashmir Bhawan “like a criminal”, stopping him from going to Sunderbani town in Rajouri for a party function. “The Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) accompanied me… It is the first time the SDPO accompanied me from my house to the office to personally see to it that my vehicle does not take any other turn,” he said.

The NC said there was no official order on the basis of which the former CM was stopped.

While the police denied any curbs on Omar’s movement, on Wednesday, the Jammu district administration issued a general direction prohibiting individuals and social media news platforms from sharing any post / message that could disturb harmony or peace. Jammu District Magistrate Sachin Kumar Vaishya issued the order, referring to inputs regarding posting of social media posts which could lead to “serious breach of peace and order… might cause grave danger to human lives and properties”.

Sources in the UT administration said there was apprehension that “vested interests” may try to take advantage of misgivings among the Gujjars and Bakerwals over the extension of the ST status.