At a time when questions over the detention of Kashmiri politicians find no answers, Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh has said they will be released in less than 18 months.
A report in the Indian Express quoted Singh as saying that he was asked by media persons about the release of political leaders, to which he answered "less than 18 months”.
The statement about the maximum detention period of political leaders in Kashmir is the first one by any minister in PM Modi's cabinet.
Three former chief ministers and several other politicians were detained in Kashmir on August 5 after provisions of Article 370 were abrogated.
When asked about the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood, Singh said it will not take 72 years -- an apparent reference to the continuation of Article 370 for more than 70 years. "As the situation normalises, statehood will be restored to Jammu and Kashmir," the reported quoted Singh as saying.
Singh also said that with the abrogation of Article 370, the struggle launched by Syama Prasad Mookerjee has come true. Taking a dig at Kashmiri politicians, Singh said that there is no place for anti-national and separatist activities in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s regime.
