Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said that he is praying for the early release of three former chief ministers of Jammu& Kashmir from their detention and hoping that they will contribute to normalizing situation in Kashmir.

Dozens of politicians, including three former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah of National Conference and Mehbooba Mufti of People’s Democratic Party were placed under preventive detention soon after the Modi government reorganized and bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir state into two Union Territories on August 5 last year.

The situation is improving and these decisions will also be finalized. The government has not tortured anyone.” Defending the government’s decision, he said certain steps had been taken in the interests of Kashmir. “Everybody should welcome it,” he said.