Shortly after ending his 50 hours sit-in to seek IIM and IIT for Kashmir, MLA Langate Er Rashid along with hundreds of supporters held peaceful protest march against the civilian killing of Pulwama.A 23-year-old civilian, Bilal Ahmad was killed at Malangpora village in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Tuesday after Border Security Force (BSF) men allegedly opened fire on protesters in Padgampora area.Rashid along with hundreds of supporters held protest march from civil secretariat to SHRC office against the killing of civilian Bilal Ah Bhat who was killed by border security forces in Malangpora Pulwama yesterday. He also submitted a petition in SHRC against BSF, seeking punishment to guilty.The protestors were carrying a banner which read: “I am youth, I am Kashmiri, I am PDP and I am being killed.’Rashid termed the killing as ‘cold blooded murder’ and urged India Pakistan to resolve K-issue to bring the peace in this sub-continent.
Earlier, people from different corners of the Valley continued to join the sit-in and reiterated their full support to the demands by raised by legislator on Wednesday.Talking to media persons, Rashid said his party would hold consultations with trade, transport, social and other religious organizations to come out with a joint strategy.He said that 50 hour sit-in was a wakeup call for every Kashmiri to rise to the occasion and start a organized peaceful struggle for the rights of the Kashmiri people and said that response shown by people from every corner is encouraging.He thanked all those organizations and individuals who participated in the sit-in and offered their support to the noble cause. Er Rashid asked Central Government to agree to the genuine demand of establishing IIT, IIM and IIMC in Kashmir or be prepared to face a mass public movement and agitation from Karnah to Qazigund.
He said that basic and fundamental rights of Kashmiris cannot be denied only because Kashmiris genuinely fight for resolution of Kashmir Dispute.“There is no harm in seeking better facilities and institutions for the State despite the fact that J&K is a disputed territory. Those arguing that seeking IIT, IIM and IIMC and other benefits for Kashmiris are irrelevant issues unless Kashmir issue is resolved, have a very weak argument to defend, as one needs to remember that GoI is utilizing our all resources whatsoever and has full control over these resources,” he added.
“If GoI doesn’t shun arrogant attitude towards Kashmiris, let every Kashmiri cutting across political and other affiliations prepare himself for a decisive mass movement to make Delhi understand what Kashmiris want,” he said.Er Rashid said that before announcing further course of action over the issue, his party would hold consultation with civil society, student leaders, trade organizations, religious personalities and lawyers at district level so that a joint strategy is evolved.He condemned the brutality of border security forces at Malangpora Pulwama where 23 year old Bilal Ahmad Bhat was ‘martyred’ due to bullets of BSF and rejected the “so called probe” announced by the government. (CNS)