SRINAGAR Sept 8 (TNS): The joint separatist leadership comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik on Thursday called for a complete shutdown on Sunday (September 10) against the proposed visit of Home Minister Rajnath Singh to Kashmir.
In a joint statement, the leaders said: “By observing the shutdown, people of Kashmir will prove to the world community and the Indian leadership that by using military might against the people or harassing the genuine leadership, the people’s movement in Kashmir cannot be crushed,” the statement said.
Strongly condemning what it called the “fresh wave of terror unleashed by the government of India against Kashmir’s resistance camp and also against the people”, the leadership stated that “banking on the military might, Delhi is trying to choke all space for the pro-freedom leadership.”
“To keep the resistance leaders away from the people, all undemocratic means are being employed by Delhi and its stooges in Kashmir while worst form of oppressive measures are being used to suppress the genuine dissent,” the joint statement read.
The leadership said that 2016 is witness to the “worst-ever and ultimate form of repression unleashed by the forces that left thousands blinded and maimed by the pellets; more than 126 youth killed, more than 15000 injured with bullets and pellets and hundreds slapped with draconian PSA and lodged in various jails in and outside the state including Kahtua, Udhampur, Tihar, Kotbalwal, Delhi Jail, central jail Srinagar, Baramulla jail and also Anantnag jail.”
“Fact remains that the real state of affairs in J&K are run and managed by the Indian Home Ministry and every step is being taken on their direction while the so-called state government is only a stooge,” they alleged.
The leadership said that “under a well-planned conspiracy to defame the Kashmiri leadership and the on-going sacred movement for freedom on the directions of home ministry, the NIA has been assigned the job of harassing and intimidating Kashmiri pro-freedom leaders, their families, friends, and business community also.”
They said that basic purpose of the “raid spree” being carried out by the NIA is to “instill fear among the pro-freedom leadership and the people of Kashmir.”
The leaders said that Kashmir is not territorial or law and order dispute but a political dispute acknowledged by the highest world body called UN through its 18 resolutions pending implementation and these resolutions give the right to self-determination to the people of Kashmir to choose their fate.
The leadership also condemned the raids conducted by the NIA on the residences of Hurriyat leader Aga Syed Al Moosvi Al Safavi, GhulamNabiSumji, ShowkatBakshi, and Zameer Thakur besides others, saying “the only aim of these raids is to build pressure on the pro-freedom leaders to stop advocating people’s cause for freedom.”
The leaders said “such oppressive tactics are not going to break the resolve of pro-freedom leaders, who are duty bound and committed to work towards the final settlement of Kashmir issue as per the wishes and aspirations of people.”
