Police on Thursday detained Awami Itehaad Party (AIP) chief and MLA Langate, Engineer Abdul Rashid along with scores of his activists after they tried to march towards Lal Chowk against the government decision to issue domicile certificates to West Pakistan Refugees (WPR).Shouting slogans against the state government, the protesters led by AIP chief marched from Sher-e-Kashmir Park towards commercial hub Lal Chowk to mark a protest against the government.The protesters demanded government to stop issuing domicile certificates to West Pakistan Refugees and to play their role in resolving the long pending Kashmir issue.Talking to KNS, Er Rashid said that it is unfortunate the government has issued domicile certificates to West Pakistan Refugees. “The government must not take any step against the aspirations of people. Kashmiris have already shown their anger by staging protests against such proposal but the government by issuing such certificates to WPRs have ignored the people here,” he said.
Rashid accused New Delhi of pushing Kashmiris to the wall and added that people of J&K will never succumb to the “dirty tactics” of New Delhi.While appealing people of Jammu to understand that granting domicile to WPRs will harm more interests of Jammu people, Rashid said, “All efforts to change the demography of state and resettle non-state subjects will be fought tooth and nail. Despite the fact that the issue is a desperate attack to change the Muslim character of the state, the decision would affect the rights of Dogras in Jammu region as well”.The MLA Langate further said that they will be hold 48-hour long sit in outside Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s Srinagar residence on Friday.“The protest will be organized to remind her that she cannot run away by justifying every shameless disasters act,” Rashid said.Meanwhile, as soon as the protesters tried to march towards Lal Chowk, police swung into action and detained scores of AIP activists along with its president, Er Rashid and lodged them at Police Station Kothi Bagh.The AIP spokesman in a statement issued to KNS said that at least eight protestors were injured in the scuffle and police dragged dozens of protestors including Er Rashid and lodged them in PS Kothibagh, “where they were abused and manhandled by the cops.” (KNS)