RIYAZ UL KHALIQ
SRINAGAR
Scenes were created during a Seminar in a Srinagar hotel on Monday as noted civil society member and KCSDS representative, Shakeel Qalander called the pro-India politicians as “collaborators”. He alleged all the pro-India politicians for erosion of state’s special status.
As Qalandar was busy in lambasting the pro-India politicians, many people attending the Seminar raised objections saying “Er Rashid should not be considered one among the pro-India politicians.”
Qalandar and others were participating a daylong seminar organized by Rashid’s Awami Ittihaad Party (AIP), titled “Conspiracy to Change Demographic and Constitutional Identity of Jammu and Kashmir” at a local hotel here.
Asserting that the power to grant citizenship of Jammu and Kashmir lies in the hands of elected members of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Qalander asked second time Independent MLA-elect Er Rasheed not to blame Hurriyat Conference for any “change in status” of Jammu and Kashmir as the onus lies on elected members of Legislative House.
“Hurriyat Conference is against the basic idea of accession with India itself, how can you blame them for any change done to state,” Qalander said.
Elaborating, Qalander said, “Under Article 8 and 9 of J&K Constitution, elected members of legislative house can grant citizenship to anyone. So, it is your duty to stop anyone granting citizenship West Pakistan Refugees.”
Quoting 1975 Sheikh-Indira Accord, Qalander said that the first thing in the accord was that no one can touch Article 370.
Giving historic events which led to granting State Subjects to residents of Jammu and Kashmir in 1928 and then Accession with India, Qalander said it were Kashmiri Pandits who led delegations to then Maharaja in favour of State Subjects and then against the Accession with India itself.
“Hurriyat Conference is actually political heir apparent of these Pandits,” he asserted.
Qalander quoted six events which took place pre and after state legislative assembly polls.
He said after Rajnath Singh asked Union forces to recruit West Pakistan Refugees, Home Ministry of India has asked, in a letter, government of Jammu and Kashmir: “Why not to make West Pakistan Refugees State Subjects of Jammu and Kashmir?”
Lamenting the “identity crisis” of people of Jammu and Kashmir, Qalander said, “we have been divided in Hindus, Dogras, Muslims, Gujjars, Shias, Sunnis, Bodhs ans what not.”
“We have let ideology frame our path which has been detrimental,” he said asking Rasheed that the seminar should have representation from all the three regions and all groups making it inclusive.
Asking Pro-India political parties not to join hands with Hindu right wing Bhartiya Janta Party, former General Secretary of Kashmir Bar Association, G N Shaheen while addressing the gathering said, “People of Kashmir are watching you. You have been voted by people and separatists as well to keep BJP at bay and if you form any government with their support, you will be uprooted from Kashmir history.”
