KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
Awami Itihad Party (AIP) Tuesday strongly condemned the “brutal police action” against its leader Er Rashid at Surenkoot Tuesday morning, terming the incident as moral defeat of “RSS run police and civil administration”.
Er Rashid was scheduled to continue his signature campaign in Poonch and Rajouri towns after getting “overwhelming response” in Mendhar and other places in Pir Panchal region.
“A heavy contingent of police accompanied by Sub-divisional Magistrate and other officials entered the guest house at Surenkoot early this morning and asked Er Rashid and his colleagues to leave the place,” AIP spokesperson said in a statement. “Police also seized the banners carrying thousands of signatures signed in support of the campaign since yesterday. However when Er Rashid accompanied by prominent citizens and civil society members of the province insisted on visiting Poonch and Rajouri, cops tried to manhandle and physically assault him and he was forced to leave the place.”
Er Rashid was scheduled to start signature campaign seeking revocation on beef ban from Surenkoot town this morning, where people in large numbers had assembled to listen him, despite strict police restrictions, the spokesperson said. “All the routes leading to Rajouri and Poonch were sealed with barbed wire and Er Rashid was deported through Mughal Road back to Kashmir Valley.”
“Police action was an act of frustration and done at the behest of state government and hindu fundamental organizations in reaction to overwhelming response from the people got on Monday,” the spokesman said. “AIP promises and pledges to fight for the rights of Muslims of Jammu province whose voice is being curbed by the biased and puppet state administration. It is BJP and its allies who are forcing Muslims to take a communal line only for the reason that they want to implement Hindutwa agenda in the Muslim dominated state of J&K.”
The party spokesman thanked the people of Jammu region for offering their “full moral and logistic support” to campaign despite “pulls and pressures” from the state administration.
“Er Rashid also visited Prashana where many Kashmiri trucks and load carriers were seized by the police carrying bovine animals few days back but he was not allowed to meet those 11 traders who are in police custody since last six days.”
