"You Are Not Alone": Shashi Tharoor On Kashmir House Arrests

Expressing solidarity with National Conference leader Omar Abdullah who was placed under house arrest on Sunday, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said that "every Indian democrat" would stand with the "mainstream" leaders of the state.

"You are not alone Omar Abdullah. Every Indian democrat will stand with the decent mainstream leaders in Kashmir as you face up to whatever the government has in store for our country. Parliament is still in session and our voices will not be stilled," he tweeted. 

In another tweet, Mr Tharoor expressed concern over the Kashmir leaders being "arrested overnight" when "they have done no wrong".

What is going on in J&K? Why would leaders be arrested overnight while having done no wrong? If Kashmiris are our citizens &their leaders our partners, surely the mainstream ones must be kept on board while we act against terrorists & separatists? If we alienate them, who's left?

- Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) August 4, 2019

Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah and Sajjad Lone, among the three most prominent politicians from Jammu and Kashmir, were placed under house arrest, government sources told NDTV late Sunday.

The development comes amid turmoil in the state triggered by a massive security build-up and an advisory by the state government which asked tourists to curtail their stay.

Before being placed under house arrest, Mr Abdullah appealed to the people of the state to stay calm.

"To the people (sic) of Kashmir, we don't know what is in store for us but I am a firm believer that what ever Almighty Allah has planned it is always for the better, we may not see it now but we must never doubt his ways. Good luck to everyone, stay safe & above all PLEASE STAY CALM," he tweeted.

I believe I'm being placed under house arrest from midnight tonight & the process has already started for other mainstream leaders. No way of knowing if this is true but if it is then I'll see all of you on the other side of whatever is in store. Allah save us ????????

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) August 4, 2019

Violence will only play in to the hands of those who do not have the best interests of the state in mind. This wasn't the India J&K acceded to but I'm not quite ready to give up hope yet. Let calm heads prevail. God be with you all.

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) August 4, 2019

Ms Mufti vowed to fight it out.

"In such difficult times, I'd like to assure our people that come what may, we are in this together and will fight it out. Nothing should break our resolve to strive for what's rightfully ours," she tweeted.

Mobile internet services were suspended across the Kashmir valley as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order, police said. Many schools and colleges have been shut down and various educational institutions directed their students to vacate hostels.

Earlier in the day, Ms Mufti and leaders from various political parties from the state held a meeting and issued a resolution, warning the government of "consequences" if it changed the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.