A large number of people participated in an anti braid chopping protest at Handwara led by AIP Supremo Er. Rasheed. Addressing the gathering at main Chowk Handwara Er. Rasheed appealed all the stake holders not to make Kashmir a hub of conspiracies and added they must restrain from destroying self respect and dignity of Kashmiri women for political goals. Er. Rasheed in his speech said “Govt. is duty bound to nab the culprits and find out the miscreants behind these shameful incidents. If Govt. fails in doing so, then onus lies on the Govt. and its agencies as they are duty bound to protect the life and property of masses”. Amid slogans Er. Rasheed reiterated that he had nothing to hide and if NIA could be used to probe Kashmiri leaders just to stop them from talking about Kashmir resolution, why should not NIA be asked to investigate huge atrocities on Kashmiris including forced labour, custodial disappearances, custodial deaths, tortures and other shameless incidents committed by Govt. forces during all these years. He said “Using NIA selectively against Kashmiris has exposed the claims of PM Narinder Modi that Kashmir issue can be resolved by embracing Kashmiris.
Similarly home minister’s periodic claims that centre is keen to resolves Kashmir issue doesn’t fulfill the purpose unless New Delhi doesn’t come out of confusions”. Er. Rasheed appealed militants not to forget that they always claim a moral ground while fighting for their cause, as such they need not to do any such action which would create chaos or confusion among masses.However he added “Those condemning the murder of Sarpanch in Shopian or any killing at the hands of militants do loose the moral ground when they justify the action of forces targeting properties and relatives of militants. While pro-resistance leaders kept always mum over the killings at the hands of militants, main stream leaders have been equally responsible when dozens of Jamat-I-Islami workers and those from other pro freedom parties were butchered by Govt. forces and counter insurgents. As such, it is important that the politicians of all the streams revisit their traditional policies of selective condemnation and need to respect human rights and human lives of all humans”.Rasheed said that complete silence by main stream and resistance camps over his being summoned by the NIA has given an ample proof that he is neither an Indian nor a Pakistani proxy but speaks the voice of his conscience and that of his people. He reiterated that seeking right to self determination by no means amounts to being anti-Indian as New Delhi is bound to agree to the demand of right to self-determination sooner or later.(CNS)