Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, the new leader of Tehreek-i-Hurriyat, on Tuesday called upon his colleagues in the separatist camp to be open to criticism and not let their ego come in the way when it came to listening to critics.
Sehrai, who replaced Syed Ali Geelani as chairman of Tehreek-i-Hurriyat, a vital member of the Hurriyat Conference, was addressing a gathering of leaders and members of the general public at a seminar to mark the twenty-second martyrdom anniversary of Jalil Andrabi. “People must go and tell them (leaders) their mistakes. Leader should not have ego problem to listen to them. They should be open to listen to critics,” he said.
Showing himself capable of pulling no punches, he said: “We have (now) fractured unity. We need to have solid unity,” urging the leaders that it is better to forge a unity with a purpose and for a cause in light of the 1993 All Party Hurriyat Conference constitution. “We have to strategize the things on proper application of mind and display political wisdom.”
He said that the leadership must keep in mind that no harm is caused to the movement due to their wrongs. “We have set up the unity in the form of APHC but after ten years of its formation, due to some wrongs, the unity didn’t continue,” he said “It is not only leaders who are presenting sacrifices. The common people in Kashmir have more sacrifices than the leaders in Kashmir. The sacrifices presented by common people are supreme,” he added.
“A difference of opinion (on some matters) is bliss in Islam but the difference should not lead to confrontation. Our unity is little bit fractured. It should be solid unity as we face a strong opponent,” he said. He said that Islam is a complete way of life and while pursuing movement for right to self-determination we should not go away from the basic of Islam.
Muhammad Yasin Malik, chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, said the only way for the movement for freedom could succeed was to resist the oppression more strongly than before. “We have to defeat this policy through our resistance. If this policy of Modi –led government succeeds, the next government in India will continue with it. If we defeat this policy through our resistance, the next government will not follow it,” he said.
“Pre-1989, there was impression that nation cannot make resistance. Ishfaq Majid responded to the call. After that India thought that they suppressed Kashmiris but Burhan Wani proved that resistance in Kashmir is alive,” he said. He said that unity is the need of the hour. “We need complete unity at this juncture. Those who are opposing this unity are strengthening the hand of Modi,” he said. Malik said that presently the intelligentsia and leaders of small parties are accusing leadership of “having no other programme but shutdowns.”
“These critics, civil society members who criticize leadership have never come up with any suggestion as what should be done,” he said, adding, “Geelani Sahab is under continuous house arrest, his family is being called to Delhi, Mirwaiz Sahab is also put under house arrest and me too. Recently, NIA lauched a war against separatist leadership. All these critic writes and intelligentsia, however, remained silent on the matter,” said Malik.
Mian Qayoom, president of the High Court Bar Association, reaffirmed his resolve to keep on fighting for the cause of Kashmir with more “vigor and practical wisdom.” While paying tributes to Shaheed Jalil Andrabi, Shaheed AQ Sailani, Shaheed Peer Hussam-u-din, Shaheed Sheikh Mohammad Hussain, Shaheed Abdul Gani Bhat, Shaheed Mohammad Sultan Bhat, Shaheed Mohammad Abdullah Rather, Shaheed Altaf Ahmad and others, he said that these martyrs are the torch bearers and lawyers have absolute realization of their sacrifices and are committed to carry forward the mission of martyrs.
Sehrai calls for openness to criticism at Bar Seminar, Malik says resist more forcefully
