Srinagar: In his fight for freedom from Indian forcible occupation, Hurriyat Conference Jammu Kashmir leader Shabir Ahmad Shah has spent major portion of his life in jails, in and outside valley. Since the fight for freedom continues, Shabir Ahmad Shah is either put under house arrest or is detained in any police station.
According to a statement issued to KNS, Democratic Freedom Party general secretary, Muhammad Abdullah Taari while criticizing the unending restrictions on Shabir Ahmad Shah said: “In a democratic set-up, when the political opponents are released from jails, they get freed in real terms and continue their political, social as well as religious activities in a free and fair manner. Contrary to it, the so-called democratic government after releasing Shabir Shah from a long detention re-arrested him in 2008 and 2010 on same charges and in this connection, Shah was slapped PSA six times. After that 3-year detention, since 2011, Shah was neither allowed to address any public gathering nor any religious or social gathering. He is not even allowed to offer congregational Friday or Eid prayers.In this connection, Shah’s total detention period (either in police station or under house arrest) counts to 1 year 6 months and 2 days which covers 129 Fridays.” Taari while condemning government’s policy of keeping Shabir Ahmad Shah away from people and keeping him under frequent house arrests termed it “autocratic” and “dictatorial”. “Their hollow slogans of being the champions of democracy are falling flat,” Tari said.
Taari while further questioning the so-called government said: “Is it a democracy where people are booked under harsh and black laws for demanding the right of self-determination and are being incessantly kept behind bars. This is a sheer barbarianism. On one hand, the governments beating the drums of democracy and on other they are restricting the movements of political leaders and are involved in anti-democratic acts in the name of democracy,” Tari questioned and added that by resorting to such means, the government can neither suppress the freedom movement nor can it weaken the resolve of pro-freedom people.