Jammu and Kashmir: Kashmiri activist spends 14 days in jail for comments against BJP leader

Kashmiri socio-political activist Waqar H. Bhatti was arrested following a complaint made by Dr. Darakhshan Andrabi, a BJP leader and chairperson of the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board. Andrabi accused Bhatti of damaging her reputation and inciting religious discord through critical remarks, labeling him as an 'anti-India so-called activist.' Bhatti was granted interim bail by a judicial court in Srinagar on September 14 and faces charges under sections 153 A, 500, and 506 of the Indian Penal Code. The arrest has sparked criticism from various activists and political parties, who argue that Bhatti's detention is arbitrary and reflects a suppression of dissenting voices and curtailment of democratic rights in Kashmir.