Srinagar
Congratulating the students on passing their exams with flying colours, Hurriyat (g) Conference Chairman, Syed Ali Geelani extended his praise to “resilient” youth and their families for successfully qualifying the Matriculation examinations.
The spokesman said that entire society and Geelani is proud of this achievement despite everyday violence in the state.
The success of our youth becomes extraordinary in these extraordinary times we live in amidst “massive killings, maiming and blinding, crackdown and torture”. Through your hard work, dedication and diligence, you have proved that Kashmir’s future is progressing towards an undeniable destiny of freedom, he said.
Pro-freedom leaders said that your success has further reinforced the narrative of resistance that education and freedom struggle are intertwined. Geelani further said that I take this opportunity to reflect, and to remind our youth on certain critical challenges that Kashmir and our people are facing for the last seven decades, and more so in last several years.
The on-going violence of the state is more than just physical, psychological or spiritual and Delhi continues its onslaught on our society at all levels of our appeal to reason and emotions. It is thus not surprising that education itself has become a site of both violence and resistance in our struggle for freedom.
Our students, educational institutions and centres of critical learning are facing an “aggressive” assault, which not only seeks to tame us as a community but also aims to produce docile and subservient citizens for the state, Hurriyat chairman said.
The pro-freedom leader said that education ensures that an individual becomes self-aware, which is crucial for him to break the shackles of subservience. This is true of our pious and rightful struggle as well. Our educated and conscious young people are taking up the cause of resistance. This is not a new phenomenon though, as being propagated by the Indian vassals. Kashmir’s struggle for its freedom has thrived only through the sacrifices of brilliant men and women who have for decades espoused, fought and “martyred” for this just cause. Resistance will only endure if the struggle against suppression brings empathy, compassion and emotional labour among those who are striving or facing violence; regardless of one’s religion, gender, class or geography.
