Srinagar, May 29: Noted human rights activist Guatam Navlakha was deported from Valley on Sunday.
Navlakha, who was stopped at the Srinagar Airport by police on his arrival from New Delhi on Saturday, was sent back this afternoon.
“After detaining me at the airport, I was kept at Humhama Police Guest House for a night and returned to New Delhi today,” he said, adding that “without any reason, I was ordered to leave the Valley.”
He said the government should make clear “why an Indian citizen was stopped from entering Kashmir.” “If I have committed any crime, then they should tell me the offence,” he said.
The detention and deportation of Navlakha, who is also the convener of International People’s Tribunal for Truth and Human Rights in Kashmir, evoked widespread condemnation from the separatist and mainstream parties.
 Police said his movement was restricted on the orders of District Magistrate Budgam.

FAROOQ SUPPORTS DETENTION
 As he backed the Jammu and Kashmir government over preventing a rights activist from entering the Valley, Union Minister Farooq Abdullah sought to clarify that he doesn't
 interfere in the administrative matters of the state.
 Defending the state government's decision to turn back Navlakha, he said: "It is all right. For safety of Kashmir, we will do anything. It should be done. We want tourism, we do not want tragedies."
 Asked if Arundhati Roy will be allowed to visit the Valley, Abdullah evaded a direct reply saying, "I do not know what she is coming here for. I have nothing to do with her or with her book."
 "What are they coming for? What does that writer want - to burn Kashmir? Let them burn some other place in India. Kashmir is not for burning," Abdullah told reporters at Pahalgam.
 Seeking to distance himself from the administrative matters of the state, he said, "I will not advise my son (Omar Abdullah). He is Chief Minister...He decides his things,"

Lastupdate on : Sun, 29 May 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 29 May 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 30 May 2011 00:00:00 IST