Detention has ended the four decades of estrangement between National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and his elder sister and president of Awami National Conference Khalida Shah.
The siblings have been detained in their homes at Gupkar Road and M.A. Road in Srinagar respectively since the revocation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019.
Farooq’s son and former chief minister Omar Abdullah has also been kept in detention since August last at Hari Niwas, 500 meters away from his father’s house.
For the families of the estranged siblings, reconciliation has been the only positive fallout of the revocation of Article 370.
Relations had soured between the two families in 1984 after Khalida's husband and ANC founder Ghulam Muhammad Shah toppled Farooq’s government with the help of a few legislators from the NC and the Congress and became chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
Khalida dialed Farooq after the communication blockade in Kashmir was eased with the restoration of fixed lines.
“Khalida ji is in touch with Farooq sahib,’’ said Muzaffar, Khalida’s son. “I can tell you he (Farooq) is in high spirits.”
He said the NC and the ANC were on the same page on the demand for the restoration of Article 370 and statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
Safia, Farooq’s daughter, has also been visiting her detained aunt and uncle Mustafa Kamal at their home since the removal of Article 370.
Safia and her younger aunt Suriaya were arrested in October last year for staging a protest in Srinagar against the abrogation of Article 370 and arrest of political leaders. They were released after 30 hours after they signed a bond and deposited Rs 10,000 each.
According to sources, Safia was advised by Farooq to stay calm and not to give in to anger.
She had hoisted the NC flag and a black flag atop the entrance to her house as a mark of protest. The flags were removed by the security forces after a few days.
Suraiya, who has been frequently meeting Farooq, told THE WEEK that her brother was in high spirits and recites Quran daily and offers Namaz regularly. ”Detention can’t break him,” she said.
About Omar having grown beard in detention, she said he will trim the beard when all detainees are released.