KL Report
Srinagar
Reiterating the demand for withdrawal of forces from cities and towns immediately and complete withdrawal of
AFSPA from the state, Kashmir Centre for Social and Development Studies (KCSDS) has strongly condemns loss of precious lives at the hands of forces , the fire arm injuries to hundreds of young and old persons and .
“The killing of Tahir Ahmad Sofi in Baramulla in particular has once again brought the spotlight on the unwarranted presence of army contingents in the civilian areas and the special legislation (AFSPA) which empowers them to kill on mere suspicion.”
The centre also warns the Govt against allotting more land to forces everywhere especially in Baramulla which has been already converted into a huge Chawni .
“In the present case of the killing of Tahir and fatal injury to Ajaz Khan , their purpose was simply to terrorize people and keep them in line.Any kind of inquiry by army is a fait accompli and we reject it at its inception as we know the fate of other such inquiries be it Bijbehara massacre inquiry or Pathribal or scores of others,” reads the statement.
The members also condemn in strong terms the use of pepper gas for its far reaching insidious and disastrous effects on the population of the locality where it is exploded.The expert opinion tells us that sick adults,senior citizens , being subjected to toxic gas within their homes far from the scene of agitation can be afflicted with deadly clinical problems The infants and toddlers are peculiarly vulnerable to the noxious effects of the pepper gas.The centre also takes strong exception to the use of pellets on protesters in Varmul old town which has resulted in severe injuries to 85 persons. Every barbarian method is used here which has been abandoned elsewhere to suppress dissent and subjugate people in
spite of the fact that it has never worked.
KCSDS has also taken strong objection to the out of turn statement by director NHPC for refusing the return of power projects of Salal, Dulhasti,Uri and Sewa to the state.The members have advised him to check the legality and constitutionality of holding on to these projects before speaking. His corporation has miserably failed to produce any document with regard to any lease agreement with the state for the land or property on which these projects have been set up or any license for power generation which is absolutely necessary under J&K Electricity Act. KCSDS lambasts the Govt for not making genuine efforts to get back these power projects which people of the state have been demanding for a long time. Now anger is growing in the youth against the loot of our water resources while they cannot read and write in perpetual dark winters.It is a pity that a middle rank officer can dictate terms to the state Govt which has become used to swallowing insults with utter ‘helplessness.’The centre also severely criticized the Govt for not getting its share of 20per cent power from Thin Dam and water for irrigation purposes from Punjab Government.
