If you placed a cat, along with something that could kill the unfortunate animal, in a box and sealed it, you would not know whether the cat was dead or alive until the box was opened. In one sense thus, until the box was opened, the cat would be both 'dead' and 'alive'. This well known thought experiment has been dubbed Schrödinger's cat.
We mention this because of a strange parallel that can be drawn with Congress leader Saifuddin Soz. Is he a free man, or a detained individual unable to leave his home? Well, that depends on who you ask.
There were several changes made to the political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019. It began with the abrogation of Article 370 which had given residents of the state of Jammu and Kashmir the autonomy to have a separate set of laws, and was followed by the separation of the state into two Union Territories. At the same time, many political leaders from the area had been detained. While some, including former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah have since been released, others, such as Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti remain under detention.
But is Congress leader and former Union Minister Saifuddin Soz on this list? This recently became a much debated topic after the Jammu and Kashmir administration said that he had never been under detention in the first place.
While hearing the habeas corpus plea of Soz's wife Mumtazunnisa seeking her husband's release, the Jammu and Kashmir administration submitted before the Supreme Court on Wednesday that Soz was neither detained nor put under house arrest after the Article 370 abrogation on August 5 last year. The bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra had closed the matter saying in view of the affidavit filed by Jammu and Kashmir administration there is nothing left to examine further.
Reports however state otherwise. Rajdeep Sardesai took to Twitter with a video from Soz's residence, where the political leader can be seen saying that lies were being told in front of the Supreme Court. Soz's works are interrupted abruptly, as another individual puts an end to the conversation, demanding that people (presumably the media personnel) leave.
Similar accounts were shared by other media channels too. NDTV reporters said that having arrived outside Soz's residence, they were told that Soz could not come out or speak to them. The clip also shows Soz reiterating his earlier comments, through the gates of his residence.
This particular video was also shared by his son Salman Anees Soz who said that the clip expose the Jammu and Kashmir Government.
"The J&K Govt called my mother’s habeas corpus petition seeking my father’s release “false” & “baseless”. This clip exposes the J&K Govt as lying to the Supreme Court. Please share this and ask the Supreme Court to uphold the law & Issue a contempt notice!" he tweeted earlier in the day.
In the videos, Soz says that he will move the Supreme Court regarding this.
While many have taken to social media platforms to criticise the situation, or call out the Jammu and Kashmir administration, there has been no further official reaction thus far.
(With inputs from agencies)
