Popular Unrest has started breathing down the necks of main stream politicians. Their space in South Kashmir is shrinking. On July 31 National Conference (NC) leader from Anantnag, Iftikhar Hussain Misger, quit his party and pledged support for the “freedom struggle”.
A replay of early 1990s when there were public denouncements by mainstream political workers.
Chairman Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Geelani on August 1, 2016 defied the restrictions to lead a ‘pro-freedom and anti-India graffiti’ protest outside his Hyderpora residence.
Police have detained dozens of Hurriyat leaders and senior members to stop them from holding anti-India and pro-freedom protests in their respective areas.
As the state continues its oppression against Kashmiri Muslims, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti watches on; elected to represent a local Kashmiri, she sits and watches the daily death of a Kashmiri. A trust badly betrayed.
Mehbooba has turned into Mother Teresa and has gone global in her advice to the Kashmiri people. It is unfortunate that the CM should see solution in Economy and Education and not in the promised vote of Kashmiri people, waiting to vote on the Delhi agreement with Srinagar made on 27 October 1947.
Present education system is a failed system. So is the political dispensation that has failed in mainstreaming an army of unemployed youth, who gradually age and become unemployable.
Mehbooba has said that violence had been rejected globally as a means to achieve political objectives and has urged for a dialogue. Dialogue of course is a solution. We have already moved from dialogue to a programme under the supervision of the United Nations. She should advocate remainder part performance by the Government of Kashmir at Srinagar and the Government of Delhi as provided under UN mechanism to prefer a free vote under UN supervision to either endorse the temporary agreement or to reject it.
It will be helpful if Mehbooba stopped her cavalcade and addressed the people who voted her into power. She would continue to accrue criminal liability along with the erring Indian soldier and the Kashmiri policeman who has an interest in killing, maiming and dishonoring men, women and youth of Kashmir.
Mehbooba Mufti should show nerve and courage in keeping Indian soldiers and Kashmir police under check. Advice on dialogue, economy and education has passed its sell by date. She too will become history like many other PMs or CMs in Kashmir.
Contributed by Dr. Syed Nazir Gilani
President, Jammu Kashmir Council for Human Rights