Police on Monday arrested dozens of Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) activists outside party’s Sanat Nagar headquarters while they tried to march towards the UN office, Sonawar, to present a memorandum demanding the return of mortal remains of Shaheed Maqbool Bhat (RA) and Shaheed Afzal Guru (RA).According to a statement issued to KNS, the delegation, which comprised of hundreds of party activists and workers, were led by Fayaz Ahmad Sodagar, Er Farooq Ahmad Khan, Mukhtar Ahmad Sofi, Manzoor Ahmad Ghazi and Molvi Bashir Ahmad. They were also scheduled to stage protest demonstrations at City Centre, Lal Chowk Srinagar.Those arrested included Mukhtar Ahmad Sofi, Sheikh Zahoor Ahmad, Ghulam Muhammad Muqdam, Abdul Gani, Muhammad Yousuf Mir and others.
Meanwhile, Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) mailed a memorandum to UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, to seek his interference in facilitating the return of mortal remains of Shaheed Maqbool Bhat (RA) and Shaheed Afzal Guru (RA) who lie buried in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail. The memorandum was also aimed at garnering Mr Ban Ki Moon’s attention towards the situation in Kashmir where Indian state and its forces have unleashed a reign of terror and oppression among the masses and pro-freedom leadership.Excerpts from the memorandum: “Muhammad Maqbool Bhat and Muhammad Afzal Guru are our national heroes and their mortal remains lay buried within the fortified walls of Tihar Jail in New Delhi. We feel it is a blot on our collective conscience.
“Your Excellency is expected to use your good office and stress upon the Government of India to return the mortal remains of Muhammad Maqbool Bhat and Muhammad Afzal Guru so that Kashmiris are allowed to perform the last rites of their beloved martyrs.“We have always pinned our hopes on UN and its efficacy in resolving the long pending dispute of Kashmir. As a representative of the oppressed and subjugated people of Kashmir, I (Shabir Ahmad Shah), consider UN as a sacred body to which our case be referred for peaceful resolution.”Prior to arrest and mailing the memorandum, DFP senior leader, Fayaz Ahmad Sodagar, while talking to media and party workers, said, “To fulfill our national responsibility, we are demanding the return of mortal remains of our two great martyrs so that their families may perform their last religious rites.
Shaheed Maqbool Bhat and Shaheed Afzal Guru are our national heroes and we will continue our demand till their mortal remains are not returned.”He severely condemned the oppressive and suppressive policies adopted by India in Kashmir, saying there is no regard for human lives in the state. “The occupational forces enjoy complete impunity over their crimes and they are not held accountable in any way.”“Nowhere in the world is such enmity harboured against the slain but Indian authorities, by caging the mortal remains of our two martyrs, disrespected all levels of humanity,” Sodagar said.A DFP spokesperson, in a statement, also paid tributes to Hizb-ul-Mujahedeen’s Raqib Bashir of Zadora, Pulwama, who achieved martyrdom while fighting Indian occupational forces on Saturday evening.“The huge participation of people in his funeral prayers is an eye-opener for India and its local collaborators,” he said. (KNS)