Srinagar: The demand for the release of detained environmental activist Rehmatullah Padder has intensified, with activists, NGOs, and public figures condemning the use of the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) against him and other socio-environmental advocates in Jammu & Kashmir.
Padder, a volunteer of the Ababeel NGO, was arrested in Doda on November 10, allegedly for being an Over Ground Worker (OGW) for militants. His supporters, however, argue that he was falsely implicated for raising concerns about local waste management and corruption in civic projects.
According to family members, Padder was detained at his residence in Doda’s Akramabad area in the early hours of November 10 and transported to Kot Bhalwal Jail near Jammu. A November 9 dossier from the Doda district administration accused him of anti-national activities, citing five FIRs against him for allegedly delivering provocative speeches, inciting youth, and other accusations. However, Padder’s colleagues at Ababeel and other supporters contend that his detention was politically motivated, with Advocate Babar Hassan Nehru of Ababeel claiming that Padder had recently exposed corruption in a sewerage treatment project and criticised waste management failures in Doda.
Doda MLA Mehraj Malik, who was supported by Padder in the recent elections, expressed outrage over the detention, labelling it as a “politically motivated” action. Malik, an Aam Aadmi Party leader, posted on social media highlighting the dismal state of waste management in the district under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM). Malik criticised the administration for detaining Padder over his activism, stating, “This young man is detained under PSA today; yesterday, he raised questions on District Administration Doda for their failure.”
The detention of Padder, who originally hails from the Dessa region, has drawn widespread condemnation. The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), alongside over 250 activists, issued a statement calling for the release of Padder and five other environmental activists detained under the PSA. The NAPM criticised the charges as baseless, asserting that the detainees were simply voicing legitimate concerns about environmental and socio-economic issues, including the impact of hydropower projects. The activists had reportedly highlighted issues such as environmental degradation, infrastructure damage due to blasting, and inadequate compensation for affected communities.
“Activism and dissent are essential components of a healthy democracy,” the NAPM statement read, urging authorities to avoid labelling socio-ecological concerns as “anti-national.” The statement also called on the Jammu & Kashmir administration to adopt a responsible approach, especially with the ongoing COP29 conference in Baku, which underscores the importance of climate justice and public participation in environmental governance.
Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat, Chairman of the Jammu & Kashmir Right to Information (RTI) Movement, joined the calls for Padder’s release, urging Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to intervene. “Booking him under the Public Safety Act is highly condemnable as people like him work for public safety through their climate and environmental activism,” Dr Bhat said, criticising the local administration for ignoring the violation of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Rules 2016, which Padder had exposed.
The intensifying calls for the release of Padder and the other detained activists underscore the growing tension between authorities and socio-environmental advocates in Jammu & Kashmir, with activists arguing that transparency, accountability, and public participation should be prioritised over suppressive measures.
