Reiterating their demand this year also, various separatist leaders and organizations on eve of death anniversaries of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat have once again demanded return of their mortal remains to their families.Muhammad Maqbool Bhat was executed on February 11, 1984 while Muhammad Afzal Guru was sent to gallows on February 9, 2013 in Tihar Jail, New Delhi.
The mortal remains of both were buried in the Tihar Jail premises.
Paying tributes to Guru, Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani said, “The last letter which he wrote before going to gallows has become as a source of inspiration for the Kashmiri nation and it has added a new life to our freedom struggle.”
“The souls of both the martyrs have attained freedom from the slavery and the imprisonment of India and they have made their nation proud. They have proved that India cannot eliminate the freedom sentiments of the Kashmiri nation by whatsoever oppression,” Geelani added.
Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) chairman Shabir Ahmad Shah has mailed a memorandum to UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, to seek his interference in facilitating the return of mortal remains of Maqbool Bhat and Afzal Guru.
“The memorandum is also aimed at drawing Ban Ki Moon’s attention towards the situation in Kashmir where forces have unleashed a reign of oppression,” Shah said in a statement today, adding that “Moon is expected to stress upon New Delhi to return the mortal remains of Bhat and Guru so that Kashmiris are allowed to perform their last rites.”
Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DeM) has also paid tributes to Maqbool Bhat, Afzal Guru besides others who were slain during ongoing struggle.
In a meeting of DeM central council held here today with its chairperson Syedah Aasiya Andrabi in the chair, the participants pledged that “DeM will not desist from offering any sacrifices in taking the mission of the martyrs to its logical conclusion.”
The party also demanded return of the mortal remains of Bhat and Guru from Tihar Jail to their families.
JKLF (H) chairman, Javaid Malik has appealed people to observe complete strike on February 9 and 11 so as to press for the return of the mortal remains of the two Kashmiri leaders.
“The goal for which Bhat and Guru besides other countless people have laid their lives would remain unachieved unless Kashmir dispute is settled in accordance with the aspirations and wishes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” Javaid Mir in a statement today said.
Paying tributes to Muhammad Maqbool Bhat and Muhammad Afzal Guru, Islamic Students League (ISL) president Sheikh Musaib has termed both as the ‘epitome of steadfastness, devotion and sacrifices.’
“Despite being in different eras, both suffered and sacrificed for the sacred cause of freedom and tolerated all ups and downs from friends and foes. Their sacrifices have been recorded in the history of resistance in golden words and would be acting as a guiding light for the generations to come,” ISL president in a statement today said.
Democratic Freedom Party, Mahaz-e-Azadi and Jammu Kashmir Mass Movement also staged protests seeking the mortal remains of Guru and Bhat from Tihar Jail.
Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party staged protest march in Rawalpora Santnagar here which was led by Advocate Fayaz Ahmed Sodagar and Engineer Farooq Ahmed.
Mahaz-i-Azadi Jammu Kashmir led by Shabir Ahmed Dar and Muhammad Iqbal Mir besides International Forum for Justice chairman Muhammad Ahsan Untoo also organized a protest at Press Enclave here.
The leaders said that it was the duty and obligation of people of Kashmir to take the mission of Bhat and Guru to logical conclusion.
Reiterating demand for the return of the mortal remains of Bhat and Guru, Untoo said: “Although it is purely a human issue but India is very reluctant to this demand thereby violating all the principles of morality.”
Meanwhile, police arrested Mass Movement chairperson Fareeda Behanji and other party workers when they took out a procession from Abi Guzar here.
