• Mehbooba not in control, should leave chair
• Burhan not the first one, surely not the last
The business community of Kashmir Tuesday said Kashmir is a dispute and it was never a part of India and shall never be so. They also said the slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was their ‘child’ and the ‘darling’ of Kashmir.
Chairman of Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA), Muhammad Yasin Khan, President of Federation of Commerce and Industry Kashmir (FCIK) Ashraf Mir and the representatives of the Civil Society Kashmir while addressing a press conference in Srinagar said, “Forces killed Burhan as he was leading the Kashmir struggle and honoured the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.”
The business community and members of the civil society had earlier faced flak on social media for meeting Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday.
“Through the media we want to send a message to the Government of India who are on a killing spree in Kashmir. The fact that the state of Jammu and Kashmir is not a part of India, it never was and it never will be. Now the forces of India have killed our child who was leading the freedom struggle,” said Muhammad Yasin Khan, Chairman KEA.
Khan said, “Burhan was our child and the darling of the people and will remain so till the end of this world. His name was Burhan Wani. After his martyrdom, people came out on the roads and showed on whose side they were. The people have showed the world that Kashmir is place which is reeling under illegal control.”
Khan pointed out that protests take place in other parts of India too but civilians are killed in Kashmir only as the people at the helm order the forces to kill. “Why do such atrocities take place in Kashmir only? Such agitations, maybe worse took place in Haryana, the forces didn’t kill civilians. Such agitations took place in Gujarat in shape of the Patel agitation, no civilians were killed there. Why didn’t the forces kill children, women and men in those places? This is simply because the people who are at the helm of affairs have ordered them to kill in Kashmir,” said Khan.
He also pointed out that people should be allowed a referendum to decide which way they want to go. “For how long will you kill? Other than killing a referendum should have been held and people would have decided where to go and whom to be with. The younger generation has decided that till this dispute is not resolved they will not keep quiet,” Khan said.
Talking about their meeting with CM Mehbooba Mufti on Monday, Khan informed that they told her to step down as she is not in control. “We told her that you are not in control. The control is somewhere else. In 2010 when civilian killings happened, you came out on roads and shouted ‘Goli se nahi boli se’. So why is that not happening today? But unfortunately, she is being controlled by the Government of India. So we told her to leave the chair, “said Khan.
‘Kill us all once for all’
The business community feels that if the Government of India and the state government want to deal with unarmed protesters with bullets, they should ‘carpet bomb us all’. “Yesterday (Monday) we met Mehbooba Mufti and we told her categorically that if this is how you want to deal with us then we are a population of around 70 lakh. Gather us in a field a drop a bomb on all of us and the problem will be solved.
Till date, 33 civilians have been killed and more than 1500 have been injured in protests since Saturday.
Responding to queries that why did the civil society went to meet Mehbooba at the first place, Khan said they have to register their protest somewhere. “We don’t recognize them as our leaders and representatives. But Bijli, Paani, Sadak is in their control. We have to register our protest somewhere. Why did we come to you? We want to convey our message again. Whatever we are saying here is what we told the CM in the meeting yesterday,” explained Khan.
Justifying their meeting with the CM, Ashraf Mir, President, FCIK, said that they didn’t run to her on one call and categorically told Mehbooba to step down if the civilian killings continue.
“We told them that Burhan is not the first one and surely not the last. There are thousands of Burhans here and they are ready to die. But is this your way to handle protesters that you kill more than 30 in three days and blind more than 100 with pellets,” asked Mir.
Mir also mentioned that the government spoke about its version through the press yesterday but missed to mention their (KEA & FCIK) version.
Rajnath condoled only death of his ‘own’ people
Khan also said that the Home Minister Rajnath Singh expressed grief over the death of the CRPF but didn’t utter a word about the civilian killings. “We don’t justify any killing but why didn’t Rajnath Singh say a word about the murder of our 32 civilians. He is pained by the death of the forces but civilian killings don’t matter,” said Khan.
‘Sedition for Kanhaiya not for us’
The business community also said that calls for plebiscite and right to self determination can be sedition for Indians but nor for Kashmiris as it is their right. “The home minister and Venkaiah Naidu said the same thing. They said they are against terrorists and the people who support terrorists. We want to make it clear that Kashmir is a disputed territory. The people of Kashmir want a plebiscite, they want right to self determination. This is not an integral part of India,” said Iqbal Trumboo, Vice Chairman, KEA.
He added, “Our sentiments are the same. For Kanhaiya (JNU student leader) it might be sedition but for us it’s our right. Our child (Burhan) achieved martyrdom because he believed in the aspirations of the Kashmiris. And this will keep on happening. People will come out in hordes whenever our children are martyred. For us they are not terrorists, they are fighting for their rights,” said Trumboo.
Indian media should reports facts
KEA also called upon the national media to report facts. “Report what is happening, report facts. Don’t spread lies. If you report wrongly, a totally wrong picture is being painted outside,” said Siraj Ahmed, Spokesman, KEA.
‘Other KEA’ protests meeting with Mehbooba
Meanwhile recently formed faction of Kashmir Economic Alliance lead by Mohammad Yusuf Chapri held a protest against the Muhammad Yasin Khan led faction. They accused them of exonerating Mehbooba of the civilian killings. “Mehbooba Mufti through them wants to spread this message that she is not involved in the civilian killings. As CM she is also the home minister and the all the forces report to her. So she is responsible for whatever is happening here,” said Farooq Ahmed Dar, Vice Chairman of the Chapri led KEA.
He also accused them of siding with the authorities. “By meeting her (Mehbooba), they have sided with them (Government).”
