Farooq Abdullah's detention will not be in interest of country's integrity: Moily

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily on Wednesday said the detention of former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah under the Public Safety Act was "shocking" and asserted that the move will not be in the interest of the country's integrity.

Abdullah has been detained under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA), which enables authorities to detain any individual for two years without trial.

The 81-year-old patron of the National Conference has been under house arrest since August 5 when the Centre announced abrogation of the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and bifurcation of the state into Union territories.

"The detention Farooq Abdullah former Chief Minister and Member of Parliament of Jammu and Kashmir under Public Safety Act is quite shocking," Moily said in a statement.

"Farooq Abdullah is a great patriot and he and his father are responsible for retaining Jammu and Kashmir including Ladakh within the territory of India," the former Union minister said.

Abdullah along with many political leaders, has always kept the democratic ethos intact, he said.

"Hence, his detention will not be in the interest of the integrity of the country," Moily said.