KL News Network
SRINAGAR
Participants at a seminar in Srinagar on Sunday pledged that they will fight for the innocence of Muzaffar Ahmad Rather who was awarded capital punishment by a court recently. The seminar was hosted by lawmaker Engineer Rashid to commemorate the anniversaries of Late Mohammad Maqbool Bhat and Mohammad Afzal Guru, a statement issued by his party AIP said.
The seminar was presided over by Aijaz Guru, elder brother of Mohammad Afzal Guru.
The statement quoted columnist Aijaz-ul-Haq saying that India has been selective in capital punishments. He added that Govt of India never answered 13 questions pertaining to parliament attack raised by noted writer Arundhati Roy.
“Noted writer Harash Mandar in his book has revealed that In Gujrat High Court Narinder Modi was charge sheeted as accused for his role in Gujarat riots, and the double standards stand exposed as he went unpunished and is holding the highest office in the country,” the statement said.
Gowhar Geelani, the statement said told the gathering that the ongoing resistance is not for stopping human rights violations but for political rights including Right to Self Determination. “In 21st Century there is no scope for Capital Punishment,” the statement quoted him saying.
BBC journalist Reyaz Masroor, according to statement, appealed for a joint strategy to get back mortal remains of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat. He asked Kashmiri leadership to approach Civil Society and other meaningful forums all across India to explain them the sufferings of people of J&K and significance of resolving Kashmir dispute.
High Court lawyer Baber Qadri alleged that Delhi is trying to impose view point of majority community, rather following rules of justice. He appealed that we need to respect all voices, even if we may not subscribe to them.
Chairman All Parties Sikh Coordination committee Jagmohan Singh Raina said that Indian state has used capital punishment as a tool to suppress the voice of minorities in India. “Why even a single person couldn’t be hanged who carried mascaras of Sikhs in Delhi riots and in Kashmir,” he asked.
Shakeel Qalandar, the statement said appealed justice for all and said that we must condemn all sorts of violence.
Social and political activist Imtiyaz Alam reiterated that nobody can stop Kashmiris from asking for Right to Self Determination, as it is the promise made by Government of India to people of J&K.
Advocate Noor-ul-Shahbaz, the statement said, termed Afzal Guru’s and Maqbool Bhat’s hanging as murder of justice.
Engineer Rashid who hosted the event said that had hangings been the solution, then one lakh people would never have dared to pick up arms in their hands and the hangings have failed to stop people from owning radical views. He asked people to remain united and not doubt each other. He alleged that New Delhi has forced Kashmiris to take arms in their hands. While difference in thinking and working is natural, Rasheed said, we all need to join hands to fulfill the aspirations and sentiments of Kashmiri people.
