Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) leader Yasin Malik has said that if the government wanted to revoke his passport and put him in jail, it could go ahead, calling jail his second home.
PTI
“If Indian government has decided to revoke my passport, put me in jail then it’s their wish. Jail has been my second home,” Malik said.
Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said the passport was given to Malik, chief of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), after getting a “no objection” from other Indian ministries and agencies.
“When violation (of provisions of passport) is indicated… when it is brought to our notice, we will act,” he said, adding that the government would act with Malik “as fit of a citizen of India”.
Malik was seen seated next to Saeed, chief of Jamaat-ud-Dawa, at a rally against execution of Afzal Guru, a convict in the Indian parliament attack case, in Islamabad in Pakistan Sunday.
Saeed is considered to have planned the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terror attacks in which 166 people were killed.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajnath Singh said the government should “seriously” take cognizance of Malik sharing the dais with Saeed.
“The government should seriously take cognizance of this. It’s not a small issue. I expect this much from the government,” Singh told reporters here.
BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu also criticised the government, saying Malik’s passport should be revoked immediately.
BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said it was home ministry’s mistake to allow Malik to go to Pakistan and the party would raise the issue on all forums.
With IANS inputs
