KL Report
SRINAGAR
An eight member delegation of Indian civil society and parliamentarians today visited the Kunan-Poshpora villages and met the victims of alleged 1991 mass-rape incident.
The delegation headed by senior journalist and civil society activist, Seema Mustafa visited the houses of the victims and interacted with them.
According to the sources of a local news agency, KNS, some victims interacted with the group and narrated the happenings of the fateful night when troops of 4th Rajputana Rifles of the army allegedly indulged in mass molestation of at least 40 women.
Seema Mustafa, who is heading the group, termed the incident as a blot on the face of democracy. “We want that the case should be reopened and the guilty should be brough to the book,” Mustafa told KNS reporter. “It is a blot on the face of democracy and justice should be provided to the victims.”
Meanwhile, talking to KNS, the veteran Journalist Seema Mustafa said they had gone to the village to see for themselves whether political leadership had gone to meet the victims. “It is unfortunate that the political leadership has isolated them over last 20 years. None of the Chief Ministers in the state has even visited the victims in last so many years, which is painful,” she said and added that their sole purpose of the visit was not to refresh the wounds of the victims but to see whether the victims have been reached out. “There has been no move forward over the years and no government has bothered to listen to their plight.”
“We will make a report and hold a press conference to highlight the issue. We will also meet the Defence Minister after going back to Delhi and take up the matter with him,” she added.
Among others West Bengal MP Saleem Ahmad of CPI (M), State Gen Secy of Maharashtra CPI (M), Paresh Mandal a retired IAS officer from Gujarat, John Dayal of Christian Organisation and Sahiba Farooqi of Women’s organization were part of the delegation.
