Shah Abbas
SRINAGAR
Appealing people to strictly follow the protest calendars of ‘Mutahida Majlis-e-Mashawrat’ MMM, chairman Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, (JKLF) Mohammad Yasin Malik Tuesday announced that he himself will lead a protest in Lal Chowk on Friday, April 19. He also announced to start a 48 hour long hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New New Delhi on May 3, to press for the demand of cancellation of life imprisonments against Kashmiris and the return of the mortal remains of Afzal Guru.
A day after his release from the 35 day long house arrest, Malik, while addressing a press conference said that MMM is a collective platform of all the separatist parties and groups, so the programs of it must be followed strictly. “The programs of MMM should be followed and I personally will lead a protest on Friday in Lal Chowk,” Malik said. Pertinently, MMM has issued a protest calendar asking people to held protests after Friday prayers.
Taking forward his parties program which was formed some three months back against the life imprisonments to Kashmiris, Malik said that he will lead a 48 hour long hunger strike at Jantar Mantar New Delhi. “I will reach to the union capital of India to press for the demand of cancellation of life imprisonments of Kashmiris, and press for the return of the mortal remains of Afzal Guru,” Malik announced.
Significantly, the parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru was hanged and buried in Tihar jail of Delhi on February 9, this year.
Malik alleged that the past two months witnessed arrest spree, restrictions and highhandedness of police in Kashmir. He accused the state police chief that his forces are involved in putting the Kashmiri people under difficulties. “My direct question to DGP is that you put curbs on common Kashmiris, separatist leaders and activists by arresting or making them house arrest, MMM did not give much strike calls but it was you (DGP) who put common people at suffering,” Malik said.
Malik lashed out at India saying that its presence in Jammu and Kashmir is only because of his armed forces, and it has created terror among the Kashmiri people and was trying to squeeze the political space of separatists. “Just see the past two months after Afzal Guru was hanged, how separatist leaders and activists were arrested where they were, even Syed Ali Geelani, Shabir Shah, Nayeem Khan and Javed Ahmad Bhat are still undergoing arrest or house arrest,” Malik said. “Police itself confessed that it arrested 338 youngsters from February 9. The minors like Asif Majid Shakhsaz,16, of Hazratbal have been slapped with draconian PSA.”
JKLF chairman also lashed out at the Indian civil society, and alleged it by calling it “fire fighters” of India. “When the situation in Kashmir worsens, the Indian civil society comes and talks about the peaceful settlement but as and when, the situation comes to normal it disappears,” Malik said.
He alleged that it was the same Indian civil society along with the international community who persuaded him to shun the path of armed struggle in 1994 on the assurance that they will work for the peaceful resolution of Kashmir dispute.
“I ask the so called international community and Indian civil society that why they use dual standards about Kashmiris? The silence of the international community about Kashmir is criminal. Kashmiri people transited from armed struggle to peaceful means and the revolutions of 2008 and 2010 are a big proof.” Malik said, adding, “The Afghan problem is apparently going to get solved next year, if India and international community does not recognize the peaceful struggle of Kashmiri people, I am apprehensive that a new discourse that peaceful means do not pay may arise.”
While answering a question, Malik ruled out that Taliban will come to Kashmir. He said that the Kashmir movement belongs to Kashmiris, and even talking about the arriving of Taliban will be insulting for Kashmiris who “sacrificed one lakh people for their cause.”
