‘Poverty in India will be eradicated if Kashmir is resolved’
While commenting on Indian Prime Minister Narinder Modi’s statement that “Kashmiris want peace”, Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman, Syed Ali Geelani said once again they agree with Indian Prime Minister, that there is no doubt that Kashmiris were peaceful in the past and at present and are in need of peace more than anybody else.
In a statement issued here, Geelani advised India rulers to go through the history. “When India got its independence from British rule, whole sub-continent was up in flames with killings, arson, rapes, death and destruction everywhere. Fields were packed with bodies”.
“Yesterday’s neighbours were ready to slit each others throats and whole of Indian terrain was presenting a devastated and destructed look. But Kashmir during those tiring times also was calm, peaceful, maintaining and upholding the highest values of brotherhood and communal harmony,” he said.
Geelani said this small and unfortunate piece of land is studded with a million armed forces equipped with deadly armoury and immuned with legal shield, provided by the Indian rulers. “After such threatening and terrifying environment, talking of peace may be a good and clever lip service to buy the collective vote bank in the election scenario of some states. But for a nation, drenched in blood and devastated by the iron fist of Indian troops, there is nothing to believe and trust these words”.
“Our fourth generation is living in the atmosphere of bloodshed, repression and sick ambience of political uncertainty. Despite huge human investment for the last 70 years, India is still stuck on the false and baseless rhetoric of “Atooot Ang,” he said.
Commenting on Modi’s statement of “fighting poverty”, Geelani said in case Indian rulers are sincere in their words, they need to shun the euphoria of expansionism and warmongering attitude, so that a large chunk of their defence budget is utilized for the eradication of poverty.
The Hurriyat (G) chairman said even the daily deployment of their troops in Jammu and Kashmir costs Indian exchequer very high. “Besides, India is also paying huge sums buy loyalties of people”.
He alleged that to conceal the war crimes of their forces, India is trying to bribe the people, recent example of which is the father of an injured youth, who was offered a sum of Rs. 10 lakh just to speak against Hurriyat.
Geelani said to undermine and weaken the present uprising, Indian treasuries have been laid open and their yes-men are jubilant to auction the minds and souls of people on sale. “If anybody resists, muscle is used to bow him down, so that no dissent voice strikes their autocratic ears”.
He said that to hold Kashmir militarily, India is competing in the arms race and diverting its resources for defense, at the cost of the welfare and basic necessities of its population.
Geelani said as soon as India accepts the disputed nature of the Jammu and Kashmir and start practical and concrete measures to address it, need of arms and extra defence budgeting will be cut to lower levels, leading to eradication of poverty and establishment of permanent peace and prosperity not in India only, but Indo-Pak sub-Continent as a whole. “And you will be remembered in the history as the great savior of humanity, which your coming generations will be proud of”.
