Three years after the secret execution of Muhammad Afzal Guru in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail, the J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday said she is still to understand why and what for he was hanged.
Addressing a gathering at the inauguration of Khadi Exhibition at Kashmir Haat here, Mehbooba recalled the hanging of Guru on February 9, 2013, saying his execution evoked a “strong discussion across the board, something unlikely in a country like Pakistan.”
“Here one Kashmiri was hanged. We don’t even know why he was hanged or what he was hanged for. He was picked up from 28 serial number and hanged. But I am proud of people of India, our Hindu brethren, Muslims, media, academicians, [that] all of them protested his hanging. This is the beauty of this nation. Where does this happen? We have a democratic set-up, anyone can put his point,” she said.
“We have a great nation, a democratic nation. If we look at our neighbouring nation (Pakistan) so many are hanged there in a month. From children to Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, so many were hanged. But no one can open his mouth there,” she said.
Mehbooba hailed Indian Muslims for their humility and peace-loving nature.
“If you go to America or Europe and show your Indian passport, they will not create any hassles. This is because Muslims of our country are very peaceful. So I believe our future has been embedded with this country. Our leaders took that decision after a thought process. But we have to strengthen that decision and that cannot be done with gun or with the AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act). But that can be done only with love. Those youth who have picked up arms, we have to give them pen and paper and employment,” she said.
Mehbooba said her Peoples Democratic Party allied with Bharatiya Janata Party “only with the hope of securing future of people of J&K, especially its youth.”
She said youth in Kashmir “need to be brought into the mainstream.”
“Late Mufti Sahab (Mufti Muhammad Sayeed) joined hands with Prime Minister Narendra Modi not with a short term perspective. If we had done it only for elections, it would have been detrimental for both of us. We joined our hands with BJP keeping in mind our youth and the future generations,” she said.
She said the state government has “many expectations from the Centre.”
“Coming into power in J&K has been full of challenges. This alliance was not created so that late Mufti Sahab or me would become the Chief Minister. It’s not a big thing. This is a crown of thorns for people like us. But we accepted this crown of thorns with an expectation that you (Centre) will open your treasuries for the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” Mehbooba said.
Invoking former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, she said he “received an overwhelming response” to his peace initiative from people in Kashmir.
Hailing Kashmiris for “their positive response to such peace initiatives”, the Chief Minister said: “This is Kashmir. If you take one step, they (people) will take 10 towards you. But if you show them a finger, they will show you the fist. That is why when Vajpayee took one step, our people took ten towards him. When he came here and approached Pakistan with a friendly hand, there was ceasefire on the borders, talks began, and the road to Muzaffarabad was opened,” Mehbooba said.
Mehbooba said the Partition has had a “cascading impact” on Kashmir, “the repercussions of which are even felt today.”
“We have been bestowed with everything by Almighty Allah. Not only beauty and natural resources, but talented youth as well. Our youth have golden hands; wherever they go, they shine and excel. But unfortunately, our country was partitioned and we in the Valley are facing troubles because of that. And we were not even involved in the Partition,” she said. “No one asked us if Pakistan had to be created or not. The Partition happened and we have been on the receiving end,” she said.
