Srinagar: Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (M), Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, on Friday said that the pro-India regional parties were duty bound to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to protect the special status of the state.
Mirwaiz, who was placed under house arrest and barred by authorities from delivering a sermon at historic Jamia Masjid here, said hectic efforts are underway by the BJP RSS to altogether do away with the special status by challenging Article 35A in the Supreme Court of India.
“This article bars non-J&K state subjects to settle and buy property in J&K and it’s being challenged in court with the view to alter the demography of the state by settling people from outside the state, with the right to acquire land and property, and vote in the Assembly elections,” Mirwaiz said in a statement issued here.
It is basically aimed at reducing the 75% Muslim majority of the state into a minority and change the basic character of the state in order to undermine and deeply affect its disputed nature, he said.
“It being done under a deliberate plan and is part of the much flaunted “final solution ” to the Kashmir dispute by the Indian state led by the RSS.”
Mirwaiz underlined that it was a “very serious and critical matter” and pro-India regional parties are duty-bound to the people of JK not to allow it to happen.
“It is their responsibility to ensure that such designs are thwarted and resisted and the special status of the state protected at all cost,” Mirwaiz said, adding, otherwise people will hit the streets “as there is no way such measures will be tolerated by them, consequences of which will again be the sole responsibility of these parties.”
He said for last 70 years people of the state have been striving, struggling and ‘hugely sacrificing’ to make government of India accept the reality of the ‘Kashmir dispute’ and make the country fulfil its commitment to the people of Kashmir before the world community. “It is the duty of every Kashmiri to safeguard these sacrifices and play their role in resolution of the dispute.”
Mirwaiz said since last year more than 160 civilians have been killed with impunity by the Indian forces while thousands became victim to pellet guns and lost their eyes and limbs.
Mirwaiz said those in power especially the PDP should realize that their weaknesses for power was making people of Kashmir “pay dearly” and history will never forgive them if they continue in this manner.
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