KL Report
SRINAGAR
Awami Ittihaad Party (AIP) Tuesday lambasted JK Police for using “brute force” against AIP programme of Secretariat Gheroa and warned state government not to act as “yes man” in the wrong intentions of Delhi towards Kashmir.
AIP had given a call to encircle the Civil Secretariat on the eve of opening of government offices in Summer Capital Srinagar against the plans of government to setup separate colonies for Kashmiri Pandits.
“Today at 10:30am along with scores of party workers, Er Rashid along with chairman Sadia Haq Abdul Majid Wani—father of martyr Ishfaq Majid Wani, despite restrictions and barricades, moved beyond Batamaloo and raised forceful slogans against plans of providing separate colonies to Kashmir pandits,” AIP spokesman said.
“AIP protest march was intercepted by large personnel of police near Fire Service Headquarters that offered stiff resistance but police used brute force to quell the protests in which four AIP workers were injured and party president Er Rashid along with scores of party workers was lodged in Shaheedgunj Police Station.”
After a while, the spokesman said, party president Er Rashid was kept in house arrest.
The spokesman said the police action has proven that the vision of state government with reference to settling Kashmiri Pandits is flawed, and “cannot be implemented”.
“It reaffirms the point that Delhi envisages Kashmir just as its colony,” AIP spokesman said.
“We warn CM Mufti not to implement those policies aimed at harming geographical, cultural and linguistic identity of Kashmir. Such visionless steps should not be taken which force people to protest and then govt is forced to revoke them back.”
The spokesman said state government taking back decision to issue State Subject reflects the victory of peoples’ power. “Similarly,” he said, “Government at Delhi would be one day forced to accept the genuine demands of people of Kashmir.”
While stating that AIP is not against return of Kashmiri pandits, AIP spokesperson said the party’s stand is clear that Kashmiri pandits should not use “insane language of abolishing article 370 and give divorce to perks and packages”.
AIP spokesperson also stated that Kashmiri pandits should recognize the fact that one lakh Kashmiris have laid their lives for seeking plebiscite in Kashmir and pandits should respect the aspirations of majority community.
Meanwhile, AIP spokesperson said that Er Rashid was rearrested in the afternoon near Batmaloo again.
