Srinagar, June 30 (KMS): In occupied Kashmir, the Chairman of All Parties Hurriyet Conference (APHC), Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and senior Kashmir Hurriyet leader, Syed Ali Gilani have termed the puppet Chief Minister’s statement as a joke aimed at passing time.
After continued protests by the people of the held valley against the allotment of forestland to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), the Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad had said that the puppet administration would make the arrangements for Amarnath Yatris instead of the SASB.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq while addressing a big public gathering in Srinagar said, “Azad’s statement is mere an eyewash and he cannot bluff people like that. People should see copy of the revocation of land order.” He clarified that Kashmiris were not against yatra but the question was about transfer of 800 kanals of land to the SASB, adding, “Scrapping the SASB is no issue but the question is that land should be transferred back to the Forest department.”
“New Delhi should understand that there is a political unrest here and normalcy is not prevailing,” Mirwaiz said and added, “People are seeing this land transfer as part of deep conspiracy and it has now become the question of Kashmiri identity. People have understood that this land transfer is a part of larger conspiracy aimed at changing the demography of Jammu and Kashmir.”
Amidst pro-freedom and pro-Pakistani slogans Mirwaiz said, “Sentiment has taken its root and it can take any shape. Present protests are a vent to the aspirations and yearning for freedom.”
Syed Ali Gilani while addressing a press conference in Srinagar maintained that the peaceful protests would continue till order regarding the land transfer is revoked fully, adding, “Who will make the arrangements for yatris is no issue for us. People of Kashmir have been protesting against the transfer of land to the SASB and want the order to be revoked.
The Hurriyet leader said that the puppet chief minister was trying to divert the attention from the real issue by giving verbal assurances. He asked the people not to pay any heed towards rumours spread to make people believe that issue of land transfer had been resolved but the fact was that nothing had been done, he added and cautioned people to be aware of nefarious designs of India. “People should protest all such designs that are aimed at confusing us and changing our demographic status,” he said.
Terming pull out of pro-India Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a drama, Syed Ali Gilani said that the PDP was safeguarding India’s interests in Kashmir. He added, “The PDP is a party to the land transfer and it cannot wash off its hands so easily.” Asserting that 127 custodial killings took place in the territory when PDP patron, Mufti Muhammad Saeed was the puppet Chief Minister, the Hurriyet leader said, “They have got no love for Kashmiris. They are power hungry. Their claims are a hoax.”
Syed Ali Gilani Geelani termed the use of force on people by Indian troops and police as a demonstration of the state sponsored terrorism and said, “Unarmed youth were beaten to pulp for raising their genuine concern.” He further said that such tactics would not weaken the resolve of people to continue their struggle against Indian occupation.
Rubbishing the claims of the puppet chief minister that the issue of land transfer has been solved, the spokesman of Action Committee Against Land Transfer (ACALT) said, “Some television channels are propagating that power and jurisdiction of Shrine Board has been curtailed. The puppet regime is trying to confuse the masses by running a misinformation campaign.” He further said the only way to solve this issue is that Governor should repeal the Amarnath act, 2000 by passing an ordinance. The spokesman termed imposition of curfew in various areas of the occupied territory a sign of frustration.