Woman Was Slamming MLA's Arrest On FB Live, Husband Cut In. This Happened

Fatima Farooq, a political activist, was live-streaming about a tense situation in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district when she was interrupted by her furious husband.

But Fatima was not one to give up easily. Her husband is seen verbally abusing her, manhandling her to make her stop live-streaming her views on the arrest of Mehraj Malik, Aam Aadmi Party's MLA in Doda, who was booked under the draconian Public Safety Act on Monday.

Hours later, the couple was taken into custody -- Fatima for violating prohibitory orders and her husband for manhandling her during the live session.

Mehraj Malik, Doda legislator and AAP's lone MLA in Jammu and Kashmir, has been detained under the draconian Public Safety Act for allegedly disturbing public order. The detention has drawn widespread criticism and sparked protests. The government has blocked internet services and imposed curfew-like restrictions in Doda since Tuesday.

Fatima, a former Block Development Council member, joined one such protest and was injured during a clash with police. She was later seen in a wheelchair pushed by her husband.

In the Facebook Live video that has now gone viral, Fatima says she is Mehraj Malik's political opponent, but her conscience doesn't allow her to remain silent and sit at home when injustice is taking place.

"A representative of one lakh people has been booked under the Public Safety Act on the grounds that he's a threat to public safety. How can this happen?" she asks.

Suddenly, her husband appears in the video and he is heard shouting, "Tu kya live kar rahi hai" (what are you recording live) and "why are you doing this?" An argument follows:

Husband: "Are you out of your mind?"

Fatima: "What wrong have I done?"

Husband: "Does your brain work?"

Fatima: "Yes, my brain works. Did I say anything against you?"

Husband: " Why do you need to talk mindlessly?"

Fatima: "I am not talking mindlessly. I am standing with justice"

Husband: "Who is Mehraj Malik to you?"

Fatima: Mehraj Malik is no one to me, but..."

Fatima's husband then tries to snatch her phone and verbally abuses her. Not one to give up easily, Fatima continues recording and starts showing her husband, "You all can see... standing with the truth..." Her husband is heard saying, "Stop it or I will choke your throat." Fatima goes on. "You can see, this is my husband, they don't allow you to stand with the truth. I want to ask the public... a person who stands with the truth faces this. The administration is doing this to Mehraj Malik, and my husband..." The husband keeps asking her to stop recording. "Kar bandh isko," he shouts, as the live-streaming stops.

A senior police officer has said Fatima and her husband have been arrested. While she has been charged with violating prohibitory orders and unlawful assembly, he may be charged with domestic violence. The police officer said Fatima has not filed any complaint against her husband yet.

Mehraj Malik's Arrest Sparks Protests

The AAP MLA was detained after Doda District Magistrate Harvinder Singh directed that he be charged under the Public Safety Act as his activities are a "grave threat to public order". Malik had recently used abusive language against the district magistrate over non-payment of rent to a villager and the functioning of a health facility.

Those charged under the Public Safety Act can be jailed up to two years without trial or prosecution. The law has earlier been used to detain separatists.

Except BJP, all political parties in Jammu and Kashmir have condemned the action against Malik. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said there is "no justification" for detaining Mehraj Malik under PSA. "He's not a threat to 'public safety' and using this discredited law to detain him is wrong. If the unelected government can use its powers against an elected representative like this then how does anyone expect the people of J&K to continue to have faith in democracy," he said on X.

Mehraj Malik has been lodged in a jail in Kathua, 300 km away from Doda. In this mountainous region, communal faultlines play a role in shaping politics. Doda and Kishtwar are Muslim-majority districts. Malik is the only Muslim MLA from the two districts. BJP has four MLAs. Another MLA is National Conference-backed Independent Payare Lal Sharma.

Scores of people have been detained over the last three days for protesting despite curfew-like curbs and an Internet shutdown. The groundswell against Malik's arrest has taken the administration by surprise, and heavy force has been deployed to maintain order.