J&K should have watched over Masarat Alam: Congress

New Delhi: Emphasising that there should be "no politics over the matters of national importance", the Congress on Friday said the Jammu and Kashmir government "should have taken care of the Masrat Alam issue".

"The BJP-PDP coalition government took action against Masrat Alam, who participated in anti-India rally in the state, only after media made hue and cry about it," Congress general secretary Shakeel Ahmad told IANS.

He also said that there should be "no politics over the matters of national importance".

"The act of separatists is totally unacceptable and the state government should have taken care in a matter like this," he said, asking why they were given permission to hold the rally.

Hardline separatist leader Masrat Alam, who was placed under house arrest on Thursday night, is under police detention in Badgam district of Jammu and Kashmir where a police complaint was lodged against him over raising pro-Pakistan slogans and waiving Pakistani flags on April 15.

Another separatist leader, Syed Ali Geelani was also placed under house arrest.

Police lodged a first information report (FIR) against Masrat Alam on April 15 when he led a separatist rally for Geelani, people displayed Pakistani flags and raised pro-freedom and pro-Pakistan slogans during the rally.