100 Days

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Rameez Makhdoomi

On third day of Eid ul Fitr , July 8 , 2016, when whole Kashmir was busy with festivity the evening came with a news that would go on to alter the entire situational paradigm of Kashmir ; Hizbul Mujahedeen Commander and widely popular militant Burhan Wani was killed along with his associates in an encounter with security forces at picturesque resort of Kokernag in South Kashmir. Since then protests, killings, pellet injuries, blinding and continuous shutdown for over hundred days has defined life in Kashmir and the valley has been turned into war zone.

In between, the pellet blinded people and the dead eye of victims have defined the  tyranny faced by people of Kashmir .The killing of young children in forces action has given rise to enormous outrage. Insha Mushtaq, the 14-year-old who lost her both eyes when she was fired with pellets by state forces at Sedow Shopian emerged as the poster girl for Kashmiris protesting against pellet injuries caused by pellet  firing over the last three months.

Arrests, detentions have been the only response to calm down tempers as Public Safety Act has been profusely used to scuttle dissent. Communication gag has also been implemented over this period.

As a matter of fact, On the other hand, a  day after Wani’s death, former Chief Minister of state Omar Abdullah said that his killing had made him the new icon of the disaffected section of the Kashmiri society and further warned that more Kashmiris will join the militancy after his death as compared to when he was alive.

Yasir Zargar, a columnist reflecting on the hundred day volatile situation in Kashmir states states – “The current uprising or what we call the2016 intifada has returned to the streets of Kashmir. Its third time since this type of uprising took place on the streets, across villages in Kashmir. The 2016 uprising marks its deep roots in the hearts of Kashmiri’s which somehow makes sense that the people of Kashmir have had been oppressed since along. The current intifada almost completed three months and it may go long. In these days people came out on streets to cull de sac with a slogan that they want freedom from Indian occupation. The Indian state forces who are responsible for gross human rights violation have continued their occupation by maiming a thousand youths by hitting them in their eyes. They killed a hundred young men and women who took part in an agitation by protesting against them. They are curbing down the clamor of slogans but unfortunately that echoes out from the walls and reverberates making the voice clear that the people stand for the freedom which is their basic right and unfortunately not given to them. They stand for those young boys who have had been killed in cold blood, they stand for those young people who lost their eye sight. If India continues to treat the voices of Kashmir as filthy disdain and exploiting the sentiments by giving a name as “Pakistan back sponsored” then the time would come near soon and the ground would witness chaos. It’s clear that they haven’t yet understood that it’s not either Pak sponsored nor Hurriyat sponsored but this agitation has links with the unsettled dispute. This ire among people should make sense that people have always been stood for the cause of freedom. They may call it perversion but honestly speaking that they have to swig it. There is a renewed spirit among Kashmiris. We now believe more than ever that Azadi is our destiny.”

 

In nutshell, killings, shutdowns, curfew, internet gag, mobile gag, pellet victims, funerals, arrests, detentions have defined the life in Kashmir in past 100 days in Kashmir.

Kashmir: A Long Road to Solution

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Javaid Ahanger

People of Kashmir have become aliens in their own homeland (Apne hi mulk my paraye) Kashmir, as a geographical entity and along with its people, has since 1948 been controlled by both India and Pakistan. One part is known to the people of Pakistan and Kashmiras “Azad Kashmir” while the Indian government refers to it as “Pakistan Occupied Kashmir”. The other part is under the control of India and Pakistan quite understandably calls it “Indian Occupied Kashmir”. Both, however, prefer using the word ‘administered’ for their respective controlled regions. The grand narrative of Kashmir politics in the subcontinent has been divided into two concepts i.e., Pakistan recognizes Kashmir as itsjugular vein (sheh-rag) and India as its integral part (atoot ang). But in between there are several questions that has haunted the region for decades: like, what is Kashmir problem? Why democracy has suffered in Kashmir? Why its people are protesting even after 68 years of partition?

Why the harsh laws like TADA,PSA,DAA,AFSPA, etc.were implemented in the state? Why people were and are being ruthlessly tortured and killed? Why

India and Pakistan fought wars with each other? And one of the most important questions is why the people of Kashmir feel alienated from rest of India especially after 1990s? There are many other questions but if we focus on the above mentioned questions and try to find answers by intellectual means, and head towards the solution, all the other big orsmall questions will vanish and peace can prevail in Jammu &Kashmir and, of course, in the two countries. Kashmir problem Kashmir problem is whatformer Indian home minister P. Chidambaram once said: “It’s all about broken promises which New Delhi from time to time had made with Kashmiri’s.” The statement has logical power to understand the problem of Kashmir conflict. Clearly, the accession of Kashmir to India had been an issue as early as the time of independence and partition. As Alastair Lamb records, included in the instrument of accession itself was a special clause requiring plebiscite to determine the wishes of the people once law and order had been re-established. (Alastair Lamb, Kashmir A Disputed Legacy1846-1990, chapter VI) Unlike other princely states, Kashmir had acceded to India conditionally and that conditional integration was accepted by India’s post-independence leadership. So there seems to be no other choice for the leadership in Delhi but to come to terms with the historical legacy of Kashmir conflict. Yet they have for decades overruled that choice and instead preferred to experiment with their own versions of what they call a ‘solution’ but to no avail. Denial of Democracy Elections are one of the

important tools used as a measuring scale for democracy or representative government and its success. No doubt elections have been conducted in Stateof Jammu and Kashmir from 1951 but the “nature of elections has always been doubtful because for Indian establishment national interest becomes more important than democracy.” (Balraj Puri,Kashmir Insurgency and After,p. 49) In 1951 the State constituent assembly elections were held and National Conference won all the 75 seats Other than the National Conference politicians nobody even dared to file nomination papers in the Valley. We

witnessed the same in 1957 and 1967 state assembly elections. In 1987,the State assembly elections were entirely unfair and rigged, which is no secret, and it affected the democratic culture of the State.

 

As the Central Government rules over the State without any check and balance, in the absence of democratic structure “the discontent of people showed the first

seeds of secession.”(Balraj Puri,Kashmir Insurgency and After, p. 48) So, there have been little efforts to make J&K a part of Indian democracy. Even the leaders of the pre-1947 Jammu and Kashmir freedom struggle wereinspired by the Indian National leaders during the freedom movement. But post-independence leadership of India did not make any attempt to support the idea of democracy in Kashmir. Need of the hour is to give democracy a chance in Kashmir in real context over national interest. Post 1990s civil protests and human rights violations During early 1990s the people of the State came out to protest against the regime peacefully but the nature and behavior of the state was too brutal that it killed hundreds of civilians which lead to the deep alienation of Kashmiris from the rest of India.

Denial of such rights as civil liberties, fair trial, peaceful demonstration, freedom of press and speech, exercising of torture, disappearances, sexual assault on women and excessive force used by Indian security agencies led to the breakdown of democratic principles and people of Kashmir became aliens in their own land. It’s a matter of great concern

that the India forces have been given a free hand to kill any person they choose.

 

The killing of innocent civilians in 2008 Amarnath Land Row agitation and Kashmir Unrest 2010 in which more than 130 civilians were killed, changed the face of Kashmir politics. Even New Delhi took some measures to stop the protests and it succeeded largely. A mission was started by the UPA Government to have a dialogue with all the stakeholders,including Hurriyat, and the team of expert interlocutors was sent to Kashmir with Dilip Padgonkar as the head. The interlocutors worked very hard to find a solution and prepared a comprehensive report which they submitted to the then home ministry of India headed by P. Chidambaram. But alas! Indian government did not step forward to fulfill any of the recommendations which led to a further deterioration of the already-worsened situation. People lost faith in the process of so-called “dialogue”. The execution of Afzal Guru in Tihar and the subsequent emergence of Burhan Wani as a new face of militancy in the age of globalization was a challenge to the Indian democracy. Hailed as a hero among a sizeable section of the local youth, his rise motivated people to join militant movement again, especially the educated youth who could havebetter future tomorrow.This was reported even by the State government. The present 2016 unrest after the killing of Burhan Wani has led to the killing of more than 90 innocent civilians. Hundreds have been blinded and

thousands have been injured so far. It’s not a new phenomenon but it is in facta deep sentiment among Kashmiris from1947 which burst up during 1990s in the name of militancy and is still going on. Tail piece:

 

A lasting solution to Kashmir will only be possible if India and Pakistan are willing to be flexible on their respective positions. Compromise is the only way to deal with the Kashmir Problem. At the end of the day it is the ground situation inside Kashmir that has pivotal importance and New Delhi

has to recognize it because if the Indian state keeps on attempting to crush the upsurge in Kashmir and the aspiration of people by force, it will have to pay the price, the most important of which may be the erosion of its democratic and secular character.

 

Author is Pursuing Doctors Degree in Political science in Aligarh Muslim University

KASHMIR ISSUE AND IT”S RESOLUTION-THE NEED OF THE MOMENT.

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Imran Aslam Sheikh

 

The state of Jammu and Kashmir has been protesting against what they call illegal Indian occupation since the last Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir Maharaja Singh temporarily acceded with India in turn of security against tribal invasion and transportation so as to escape any type of persecution at their hands. The legality of the accession has always been on the news but it is not discussed in the amount as much as it deserves. Many historians argue that Maharaja only forged this accession only to save himself from the advancing tribals. Meher Chand Mahajan’s Delhi visit to convince Nehru to send military assistance is a strong argumentation to support this point. Many believe that Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Helped Meher Chand Mahajan strike the deal with Jawaharlal Nehru.And Few persons from Jammu and Kashmir and India thus decided the fate of Millions of Kashmiris. And to whitewash their misdeeds Jawahar Lal Nehru promised Kashmiris in Lal Chowk that they will be given their birth right, the right o self determination to choose their future. Eighteen Resolutions were passed in UN recognizing Kashmir as an international Dispute. But what Kashmiris saw aftermath was just death and destruction. And from a promise of self determination the Indian leadership of both Congress and Jana Sangh shifted to the slogans of “integral Part”. Permit system was given as a goodwill coin in the begging bowls of Kashmiris which was later on abolished by India. Prime Minister was changed to Chief minister so as to simply merge Kashmir in India. One thing which remains constantly common in all those scenarios is that everybody from India to their pro indian political set up here in Kashmir have only cared about the beautiful landscape of Kashmir and their own financial status.

After witnessing a long movement of people to gain their logical goal of right to self determination from 1947 to 1980s.When people left experimenting with protesting non violently in the form of protest rallies, when people lost faith in the electoral politics when mass rigging made the popular candidates of Kashmiris lose elections and their workers beaten. Kashmiris turned to guns and from 1989 to 2016 more than 100000 people have died in armed militancy. Almost 650 graveyards of rebels have been set up across the state of Jammu and Kashmir. This move even brought much more hardships to Kashmiris with forces provided with many draconian laws like APSFA. But this also helped the Kashmir issue come out of cold storages to the spotlight. When highly educated and people from well to do families took up arms against India. Nadeem Khateeb and Yusuf Shah are among such people. While one was killed in an encounter and the other still leads an armed uprising against India under a new name Syed Salah ud Din.

Now thousands have been disappeared and lacs killed with billions of economy damaged by this conflict. Three wars were fought between India and Pakistan over Kashmir issue. Human rights record is worst in Kashmir in fact it is a place where the internet gets snapped on every 15th august, 26th January, or on any festival like Eid. This happened  in Kashmir in 2016 which is thought to be the century of digitalization. There have been incidents of mass rapes like Kunan Poshpora and security forces are accused to have perpetrated these heinous crimes. The resolution of Kashmir issue is very important than it has been ever been in the past. The importance of this nuclear flashpoint needs a mature leadership in India to understand the seriousness of this dispute and the intensity of the lava which is boiling inside and waiting for an eruption with a bang. This time we have two nuclear powers India and Pakistan at the loggerheads on Kashmir. They may have fought three wars in the past but during those times both the countries were not as much militarily strong as they are today. So if a war takes place between India and Pakistan during the current times I am very much sure that both the countries won’t hesitate to use a nuclear bomb against each other. This keeps a constant fear of cleaning out population of millions from both the sides. To save the human race from any such man made calamity the resolution of Kashmir issue becomes mandatory for both the survival of India, Pakistan and Jammu and Kashmir. The economy of India gets very much affected when it has to bear a heavy expense of 800000 army men installed at various parts of Kashmir. India has a very high number of malnourished children ,poverty is on the rise, farmers are committing suicides due to inflation and loans. The medical facilities of the country is not very good, the literacy rate is still very low in this age of computers and digital gadgets. I think the money of Indian tax payers shall be used at a place where it deserves the most. India shall not succumb to a pressure of egos created on her by her corrupt politicians. Kashmir has always been a liability for India if someone observes it seriously after taking out the prisms of egos and communal hatred. And as Mehbooba Mufti and many highly influential people of India like Rajnath Singh, Narendra Modi, Manohar Parrikar have already said that only 5 percent of people in Kashmir are protesting against India in the streets of Srinagar then I think they have a golden opportunity right now to settle this dispute once and for all by holding a referendum under UN supervision and as India and it’s collaborators are well aware that they will get the support of 95 percent it is a sure win for India then. And this all will be done without any guns, grenades, atom bombs or stones. And hereafter when the result of the referendum gets public there won’t be any demand of a referendum or “Azadi”. And India will save her billions of dollars of money of Indian tax payer and use it for the development of India. Poverty in India will come down as the money spent in Kashmir to continue what Kashmiri’s see as a forced occupation will be used in the welfare of the people of India.

 

 

( The writer can be reached at E mail address:imu3133@gmail.com)

 

Student problems in Kashmir

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Protests by students against government announcement to conduct the 10th and 12th class examinations from this month across Kashmir have continued unabated,  with several groups taking to streets in the city and elsewhere.

Students state when there is political uncertainty in the Valley from the last 100 days, when Schools and Colleges remain totally closed and students were not able to attend the tuitions due to imposition of Curfew restrictions and strike calls, how could the  student community have got the mental stability to  prepare  themselves for the examinations.

On their part, student bodies have made it clear that  Government should be aware  that examinations are directly linked with the bright future of students and as such students are neither mentally nor the situation presently allows them to sit in examinations, adding, the examination are not like state or parliamentary elections to which government will expect the normalization in political situation.

Education experts  have also made it clear that the need of hour is to grant Syllabus concession to students and in case concession is not granted in syllabus majority of the students will not be able to fair good in examinations, which can cause grim mental trauma and also adversely  impact their prospects for eligibility to different colleges as well as competitive examinations.

Realities urge that examination schedule should be relaxed in Kashmir and syllabus relaxation should be given so that students fare better in the exams.

Muzzling Media

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Farzana Mumtaz/ Rameez Makhdoomi

 

Many believe and state that media especially local media in Kashmir is being muzzled. In dramatic turnaround of events, On Sunday, 2 October, 2016 , the J-K government ordered ban on the publication of English Daily Kashmir Reader. The ban order issued by Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Farooq Ahmad Lone read that the newspaper contains “material and content which tends to incite acts of violence and disturb public peace and tranquility”. An official release issued by the Director Information Chowdhary said the ban order was issued a week after a notice was served to the newspaper, asking it to explain its position on a series of stories published by it.

Curbs on media in Kashmir has enraged one and all. From activists, Journalists to Media associations all are aghast over muzzling of media in Kashmir and are on roads protesting the move.

Irony could have been much evident in Kashmir as October 2 is World Non Violence Day on account of Gandhi Jyanti and ban on Kashmir Reader was announced on same day.

The Kashmir Editors Guild (KEG) termed the ban on Kashmir Reader as “against the spirit of democracy and freedom of press”, sought intervention of the Press Council of India and warned of “direct action” if the government failed to revoke the ban immediately

On gagging of media and other censorship, the Jammu and Kashmir Young Journalists Association stated –“ on one hand tall claims of ‘Digital India’ are being made on different platforms, but on the other hand freedom of expression was completely restricted in Kashmir, adding, it was unfortunate on part of government to ban mobile internet and prepaid mobile services which is mandatory for a scribe in present modern times to perform his/her professional duties.”

 

Commenting over the ban on the publication of a local daily JKYJA said it was highly deplorable that the ruling dispensation was indulging in such activities which were totally anti-democratic and amounts to muzzle the voice of people in Kashmir.

Arshie Zuhar, a young lawyer and activist states – “The Jammu and Kashmir Government  in continuation of the unholy murderous war against the civilians of the state have axed the leading daily “Kashmir Reader”, citing ‘incitement of violence’ a reason.  The moments of thought, reason and logic, have as a matter of fact no qualified claimants in the alleged state government ( for nothing works except police).  The press like a common citizen enjoys freedom of speech and expression and the same is guarded and protected by the constitution of India. The argument of ‘reasonable restriction’ is also as important as the right itself. The conflict of ‘reasonable restrictions’ and ‘arbitrary restraint’ is as conflicting as twilight is to light.  A ‘Normalcy’ hungry , civilly defunct government would in no point of imagination be in a position to Order ‘ Reasonable restriction’ and as a result of such defunct setup, the hawkish order of ban  must be questioned and every presumption raised of it being at war with reason.

Freedom of Press highlights the collective freedom of society and refers to the privileges, freedom and liberty a nation enjoys. Banning a Newspaper for reporting the facts as they are, must in every sense of reason, give a picture of the state machinery. The state order of banning Kashmir Reader is punitive not only to the press but to the existence of humanity and truth. Reporting facts of state sponsored violence should never have invoked the Ban on Kashmir Reader as it could more appropriately be termed as “Selective Targeting” since all leading dallies have been reporting the same stories of alarming state violence. This arbitrary and undemocratic state behavior should be countered by rule of law and such irresponsibility be answered with the intense condemnation.”

As a matter of fact, The right to freedom of expression is recognized as a human right under article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and recognized in international human rights law in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Article 19 of the ICCPR states that “everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference” and “everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.

But here in Kashmir it seems very fundamentals are attacked and resultantly Media is being muzzled.

 

 

Growing Stress in Kashmir

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save Owing to the volatile and violent situation in Kashmir over the past three months the masses in valley have been hit hard by the phenomenon of mental stress. The relatives of people injured, blinded and killed are the worst affected by this, followed by those who are incurring losses or joblessness due to the ongoing agitation. .Doctors say conflict in the region is the main cause for depression cases in Kashmir. Nearly half the population of adults is suffering from stress in Kashmir. A huge chunk of Kashmir population is suffering from depression, according to a recent survey.The survey, conducted by Medecins Sans Frontieres or MSF,

 

The study says that nearly 1.8 million adults equaling 45 per cent of adult population suffers from mental distress in Kashmir valley and a majority of people have experienced or witnessed conflict-related trauma. Nearly three decades long political conflict and deadly violence has made valley of Kashmir a hotbed of mental trauma.

We need to ensure proper treatment and aid to patients so that they fight this mental tension and distress. As a matter of fact, The World Health Organization defines psychological first aid as “humane, supportive and practical assistance to fellow human beings suffering serious crisis events.” It is recognizing people in distress, listening to whatever they have to say, and linking them to the services and support they need immediately, whether food, shelter, communication with loved ones or something else. It’s a response that was developed in contrast to “psychological de-briefing” – making a victim recount the details of their experiences – which Doctor Roudaut says has been linked to the later development of PTSD.

Ending conflict and proper treatment can only save Kashmir from Mental Distress.

 

India- Pakistan Relations Collapse

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News Kashmir Analysis

India – Pakistan relations are on the verge of total collapse. Pertinently, the nearly three month long Kashmir agitation which has killed 88, 13000 injured and hundreds blinded coupled with URI attacks resulting in death of 19 Indian soldiers had plummeted relations between India and Pakistan.

With now India claiming that it has carried surgical strikes on militant camps killing scores the relations between India and Pakistan has collapsed.”Significant casualties have been caused to terrorists and those trying to shield them. We don’t have a plan to further conduct such strikes. India has spoken to Pakistan,” DGMO Lt Gen Ranbir Singh said.

 

On the otherhand, many countries have expressed serious concern over the growing tension between India and Pakistan in the wake of Uri militant  attack.

Recently, Pakistan Prime Minister Mr.  Nawaz Sharif devoted much of his 20-minute speech at the U.N. General Assembly session to Kashmir and the current situation in the Valley and said Pakistan “fully supports the demand of the Kashmiri people for self-determination.”

He demanded an “independent inquiry into the extra-judicial killings” and a U.N. fact-finding mission to Kashmir “so that those guilty of these atrocities are punished.” He further glorified slain Hizbul commander Burhan Wani as a “young leader”.

India after few days hit back at Pakistan. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj asked the world community to hold countries that “nurture, peddle and export” terrorism to account, taking forward India’s campaign to diplomatically isolate Pakistan. A unified global strategy can defeat terrorism, “and if any nation refuses to join this global strategy, then we must isolate it,” she said, speaking in Hindi.

Countering Mr. Sharif, who had accused India of human rights violations, at the UN last week, Ms. Swaraj sought to turn the table on Islamabad. “The brutality against the Baloch people represents the worst form of State oppression,” she said, referring to the ethnic minority in Pakistan.

Bilal Bashir Bhat, a Journalist and Political Analyst stated – “The Indian – Pakistan relations have taken a worrying downslide and nothing seems to be going right for both the countries in terms of envisaging cordial relationship between the two arch rivals . Be it agitation going on in Kashmir, Uri attacks and the claims of Surgical attacks by India in Pakistan administered Kashmir the tensions seem to be spiraling out of control. The saner heads should prevail and ease the situation and try to find out some sort of headway amid these gloomy times.”

While on the otherhand of the spectrum, Trade ties, cultural ties, humanitarian relations have suffered a setback . The fears especially among the populace living in border areas are growing in wake of these escalating tensions among India and Pakistan.

Pertinently, the India and Pakistan relations are collapsing and the times ahead would be full of curiosity and tension.

 

 

Surgical Strikes

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In response to URI attack which killed 19 soldiers, India has claimed that it carried surgical strikes across what it called Terror Camps causing enormous causalities. As a matter of fact,  a surgical strike is a military attack which results in, was intended to result in, or is claimed to have resulted in only damage to the intended legitimate military target, and no or minimal collateral damage to surrounding structures, vehicles, buildings, or the general public infrastructure and utilities.

 

Precision bombing is another example of a surgical strike carried out by aircraft – it can be contrasted against carpet bombing, the latter which results in high collateral damage and a wide range of destruction over an affected area which may or may not include high civilian casualties.

“Significant casualties have been caused to terrorists and those trying to shield them. We don’t have a plan to further conduct such strikes. India has spoken to Pakistan,” DGMO Lt Gen Ranbir Singh said.

On its part, The Pakistani military confirmed the deaths of its soldiers yet dismissed the Indian claim of ‘surgical strikes.’

“There had been cross border fire initiated and conducted by India which is [an] existential phenomenon,” said an ISPR statement released shortly after the Indian Director General of Military Operations held a press conference making claims about surgical strikes.

What will be the ramifications of these surgical strikes on regional situation remains to be seen. But, we are heading for tense and volatile times.

Operation Crush Down (Noted Human Rights Defender Khurram Parvez Detained Under PSA)

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Rameez Makhdoomi

Recently,  noted human rights activist, Khurram Parvez  has been booked  under the infamous Public Safety Act (PSA).Sessions court in Srinagar had ordered the release of human rights activist Khurram Parvez, who was taken into preventive detention for allegedly posing an imminent threat of breach of peace, but he was later allegedly booked under the Public Safety Act.

While the state government has resorted to arrest spree, and profuse use of PSA to crush dissent and protest in wake of massive civil agitation 2016 in Kashmir  , invoking PSA on world known human rights defender Khurram Parvez has come as shock for one and all.

Pertinently, Khurram is the Chairperson of Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) and Program Coordinator of Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS). Khurram is a recipient of the prestigious 2006 Reebok Human Rights Award.

From Activists to Political voices all are aghast over slapping of PSA on Khurram Parvez.

While commenting on Public Safety Act being applied  on Khurram Parvez; Sarah Hayat Shah , Additional Spokesperson of Jammu & Kashmir National Conference  stated : ” The detaining of Khurram Parvaiz, globally acclaimed human rights defender is unfortunate . On the one hand the present government talks about “Digital India”, “Mann Ki baat” and on the other they are caging people who dare to speak. The same people once bragged about “Battle of Ideas” and “Agenda for Alliance”, and today they are chopping the wings of those who have an ideology of their own. This is so unfortunate. Democracy and denial to “Freedom of expression” can’t go together.”

Co-coordinating Ambassador (OYW) for Kashmir on Peace and Human Rights and eminent activist Shahzad Hamdani stated ,  “Slapping of PSA on Khurram Parvez has indeed highlighted the real face on Indian system  which on one side highlight themselves as preachers of democracy  and human rights but cannot digest those voices which are raised against the brutality unleashed by their forces in the valley. India should understand that slapping PSA   on a Human Rights defender has brought shame to democratic credentials of Indian state  which is now turning frustrated.”

Earlier, Fifty two top world academics, activists, lawyers and writers have issued an open letter appealing for immediate release of human rights activist Khurram Parvez .

Voices of sanity in unison are condemning detention of Khurram Parvez under PSA. Mushtaq ul Haq Ahmad Sikander, activist and writer stated – “ The slapping of PSA on noted human rights activist Khurram Parvez, is the worst form of state terrorism and a clear manifestation that state is turning totalitarian with least tolerance for dissent. The order of detaining Khurram under the draconian law makes it clear  that state wants to make an example out of him to deter others from raising their voices against human rights violations. We all need to condemn and start a movement for promotion of dissent. The local feudalist political party People’s Democratic Party along-with Hindutva BJP have now decided to have no tolerance about dissent, freedom of speech, political opposition and human rights activism.”

PSA being used as a weapon to scuttle dissent is drawing sharp criticism from rights organizations to human rights defenders and masses.

 

Weakening PDP

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Farzana Mumtaz

The downslide  in ruling party People’s Democratic Party is evident, with the resigning of PDP Member Parliament Tariq Hamid Karra both from Parliament and basic membership of party , political watchers are   seeing it as severe blow to PDP.

The grassroots of PDP with the unrest emerging post Militant Commander Burhan Wani killing are showing enough fissures .Bastion of PDP South Kashmir is on fire and anger ,rage against party is at all time high. Many analysts had predicted Waterloo for PDP once it decided to have an alliance with the BJP. Since past few months  with every killing and every pellet blindness, injury caused has eroded the PDP support base .

 

Gulzar Ahmad, a commoner stated , ” PDP has committed immense blunder by first bagging votes in the name of keeping BJP away from Jammu and Kashmir and then breaking the promise by forming government with the BJP. What has transpired in the past two months of agitation in Kashmir has been gross mishandling of situation, highhandedness by government forces and callous response to people struggle and all this has hit hard the image of PDP among masses.”

 

The words used by Tariq Karra while resigning aptly define the plight of PDP .Tariq Hameed Karra says:

“Today, in the present tragic circumstances, when the people of my homeland are being subjugated to the highest degree of brutalities by a party which was floated to safeguard the life, property, honour, dignity, self-respect and their political aspirations—made a turn around and treated its subjects much worse than the Nazi forces—I feel still continuing with them would be equally subscribing to their administratively inhuman and politically unethical blunders.”

“Every single day Kashmiris are being butchered, fathers carrying coffins of their young loved ones, hundreds being blinded, and thousands being injured. The number of injured is out numbering hospital capacities and the number of arrested is outnumbering lockups.”

“Kashmiri blood is being spilled on walls, lanes and drains of Kashmir. For the first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, people of Kashmir were forced not to offer Eid prayers.”

“My apprehension that by PDP’s facilitation, (the) RSS-backed BJP would even impose religious ingression, stands unfortunately vindicated today. Though I was all along feeling suffocated due to PDP’s alliance with RSS-backed BJP, my conscience was shaken during the last two months, especially due to PDP’s newly-acquired avatar during the present upheaval by the treatment meted out in the hands of Central and State Government, especially by PDP.”

“My conscience cannot take it any longer. My heart is bleeding and my soul is crying for the people of my homeland. Hence taking a call of my conscience and as a mark of protest on moral grounds against the brutal policies of BJP at Centre and State Government’s complete sell-out and surrender before them, I have decided to disassociate myself from the primary membership of Peoples Democratic Party and from the membership of Parliament to which I was elected from Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency in 2014 on PDP ticket.”

“In this regard, I shall be forwarding my resignation letter to the Hon’ble Speaker of the Parliament as well. Today the Central and State Governments’ policies of unabated genocide in the worst form of inhuman brutality, continued denial mode towards the dangerous ground realities, their insensitive and adhocist approach towards Kashmir issue and for their continued blatant and open policy of dealing with Kashmiris by way of Oppressive, Repressive and Suppressive majors are other reasons for registering my protest.”

“I am leaving it to the conscience of all other Members of Parliament, Members of Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council, to decide whether they would like to side with their helpless people or let this bloodshed continue (to be) perpetrated by RSS-driven BJP and facilitated by PDP. Furthermore, I would hand-foldedly request the aforementioned public representatives that we are placed at a very critical juncture and remaining silent would be equivalent to facilitate the fascist forces for more death and destruction and decimation of our distinct identity.”

“Whatever was agreed, to be done, was not done. And whatever was agreed not to be done, was done. Be it contesting validity of Article 370 and challenging Article 35A of Constitution of India, issue of State Flag, issue regarding banning beef, burning of two innocent Kashmiri truckers at Udhampur, harassing and lynching of Kashmiri students studying in different States, Dadri lynching of Akhlaq Khan, Himachal episode on beef, Haryana CM’s inflammatory statement against Muslims, rabid statements of Sakshi Maharaj, Sadhvi Niranjana Jyoti, Sadhvi Prachi, Giriraj Singh, raking up of alleged forced Hindu migration from Muslim dominated Kariana town in UP, forced feeding of Muslim Manager of Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi, while he was fasting, beating of MLA Langate, Er Rasheed, open refusal of our State’s BJP Minister to accept a Muslim as a District SP.”

Tariq Karra used other strong words while resigning. Many feel that if the situation continues to remain gloomy more prominent faces might quit PDP. Undoubtedly , the ruling PDP is witnessing a downslide