Terming the ban on daily ‘Kashmir Reader’ as frustration of the so-called government, the incarcerated chairman of Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) Shabir Ahmad Shah on Monday said the champions of ‘Battle of Ideas’ stand exposed now. In a statement issued to press, Shah said the champions of ‘Battle of Ideas’ are suppressing the newspapers in order to cover up their atrocities on people. “It is extremely shameful on part of those raising slogans like ‘battle of ideas’, so-called ‘vision’, ‘no bullets but talks’, and other deceptive mottos that they now resorted to such cheap tactics,” he said. Shah said the so-called government must never even utter a word about the ‘freedom of speech and expression’ as it doesn’t suit them. “These people choke the space of their people just to please their masters in New Delhi and Nagpur,” he said. “Such ban is a murder of the basic rights of people. The world must take notice of such acts. On one hand, we are suppressed militarily and on other, our voices are being strangulated so that these don’t reach the world,” he said.
Meanwhile, the DFP chairman termed it “brutal” and “inhuman” the crackdown by occupational forces in south Kashmir areas of Kulgam like Hawpora, Hashpora, Khadwani, and Redwani, wherein massive arrests took place and paddy stocks, sheds, and a house were set on fire besides nearly 40 vehicles were damaged. As per reports, even Masajids were not spared and those busy in offering prayers were subjected to worst kind of atrocities. “Indian occupational forces are adopting Israeli-type tactics to take revenge from people. Worst part is that these savage forces are refusing to have committed any of such crimes. This is shocking,” he said. Holding the PDP-led coalition government responsible for such anti-people activities, Shabir Ahmad Shah said after facing worst criticism from people, the so-called government embraced Nazi philosophy to unleash terror on masses. “This government shouldn’t consider itself unaccountable as they will face worst torment in Allah’s court. This PDP-led government has spiraled out of control as it turned its own nation into a battlefield and to crush the State’s economy it has given a free hand to Indian forces,” Shah said. (CNS)