Delhi implementing ‘Israel’s anti-Palestine model’ in Kashmir: Yasin Malik
‘United leadership mulling long-term protest program, can’t go for hartals throughout the year’
Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Sunday said the recent five-month-long uprising in Kashmir has showed people and pro-freedom leaders how to “defeat” moves aimed at changing the Muslim majority character of J&K. He also said it is time to reach out to victims of forces’ action and go for introspection to “overcome the weaknesses” so that Kashmir can “emerge as a strong nation to combat politics of deceit.”
Addressing a Seerat Conference organised by Awami Action Committee (AAC) at Mirwaiz Manzil in Rajouri Kadal area of old Srinagar, Mirwaiz said the past five months of uprising in Kashmir “threw up many lessons for the leadership.”
“We salute the resilience of people who remained steadfast despite the worst forms of oppression unleashed on them. Today, we are in a situation where there are a large number of victims who need to be taken care of,” Mirwaiz. “We should not leave the victims, who were blinded by pellets or injured during pro-freedom protests, to fend for themselves. We have some weaknesses at the internal level, which needs to be checked and addressed.”
He said people of Kashmir have given priceless sacrifices over the past 25 years. “In just past five months, more than 15000 people were injured and over 1100 of them being hit by pellets in their eyes. More than 13000 were detained with many of them slapped with Public Safety Act,” he said.
Quoting Quranic verses and sayings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), Mirwaiz said Islam teaches unity and calls for taking care of poor and needy. “It’s time for all of us to introspect and to pinpoint weaknesses so that we would overcome them and emerge as a strong nation,” he said.
Mirwaiz said that “we need to make our Prophet (SAW) as our role model for achieving our goals.”
Referring to recent moves of issuance of “domicile” certificates to West Pakistan Refugees (WPRs), Mirwaiz said people and the leadership are ready to face every challenge posed by New Delhi. “We will confront those who want to change J&K’s Muslim character,” he said. “Issues like Sainik colonies, New Industrial Policy and separate townships for Kashmiri Pandits are designs of the government to break the will of Kashmiris. We will oppose these moves tooth and nail.
He said sacrifices offered by the people of Kashmir won’t go waste and the leadership will put in its best efforts to protect them. He said united leadership is working on a proposal to give long term protest programs. “We are in touch with various sections of the society. We can’t have hartals throughout the year. Deliberations are on to shift from short term agitations to long-terms agitation modes,” he said.
From the Hurriyat Conference (G) Peer Saifulah also spoke on the occasion and stressed on maintaining unity. “Victory is the ultimate destination of people but for that, unity is a must. We need to follow the footsteps of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and leave rest to Almighty Allah,” he said.
Senior Hurriyat (M) leader Moulana Abbas Ansari also spoke on the occasion.
AAC leaders Muhammad Shafi Khan, Mushtaq Ahmad Sofi, Moulvi Yaqoob Masoodi, Advocate Nazir Ahmad Ronga, Advocate Yasir Ahmad Dalaal, Peer Ghulam Nabi, Farooq Ahmad Saudagar and dozens of other office bearers of AAC also participated in the Seerat conference. From Muslim Conference, Abdur Rashid Untoo attended it.
The conference was moderated by Hurriyat (M) leader Syed Rehman.
Accusing New Delhi and the ruling PDP dispensation in J&K of implementing Israel’s anti-Palestine model in Kashmir, the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik on Sunday said efforts are on at multiple fronts to “convert Kashmiris into a tribal society” and “create a wedge in the united leadership.” He said the latest move of the Government to issue “domicile” certificates to West Pakistan Refugees will be defeated “come what may.”
Speaking at Seerat Conference at Mirwaiz Manzil here, Malik said New Delhi is raking up issues to test the patience and resilience of Kashmiris and their leadership. “Under a well-planned conspiracy, Kashmiri people are being divided into Sunis, Shias, Ahlihadiths, Jamaatis and Gujjars and Bakerwals. The base for this plan was laid by then Governor Girish Chandra Saxena,” he said. “The basic aim behind this move is to keep Kashmiris busy in various societal issues and convert Kashmir into a tribal society where unity would remain a distant dream.”
Referring to a non-Muslim scholar, Malik said he (scholar) got inspired by the way Prophet Muhammad (SAW) managed to bring various Arab tribes under one banner. “The key lies in the unity and I urge the people of Kashmir to protect the unity forged by the pro-freedom leadership. Efforts are on at the multiple fronts to break this unity. It’s the collective duty of people to ostracize those who want to create a wedge in the unity among the pro-freedom leadership,” Malik said.
The JKLF chief said New Delhi with the active support of ruling PDP-BJP government in J&K is actually trying to implement “Israel’s anti-Palestine model” in Kashmir.
“Sometimes, they rake-up the issue of settlement of Kashmiri Pandits in separate colonies and establishing colonies for retired soldiers. Now they are talking of issuing domicile certificates to West Pakistan Refugees (WPRs) which is against J&K’s State Subject Law,” he said. “We will prefer to spill our blood than allow government to settle WPRs in J&K.”
Malik urged the people to remain steadfast and defeat all designs aimed at diverting attention” from Kashmir.