Srinagar: Looking Kashmir through a military prism is a big mistake by New Delhi, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman of his faction of Hurriyat Conference (M) said Friday, stressing that natural outcome of “repression is rebellion and resistance.”
Mirwaiz said that the recent statements by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and ministers in government of India were suggestive of the fact that New Delhi will continue with its “stubborn and unrealistic policy in dealing with the Kashmir dispute militarily.”
Addressing Friday congregational gathering at the historic Jamia Masjid here, Mirwaiz said the recent statements from the leaders of Government of India that draconian AFSPA would continue to remain in place was a signal that New Delhi wants to “muzzle and crush the genuine Kashmir struggle with its military might.”
Miwaiz said that adopting such an approach and looking at Kashmir through a military prism is a big mistake that they are making as the history of peoples struggles for the “realization of their political will can never be crushed through force and on the strength of military might.”
Mirwaiz said the natural outcome of repression is rebellion and resistance and the more New Delhi decides to deal with the situation on ground through repression the more people of Kashmir especially the youth will be forced to resist and rebel and sometimes “unfortunately violently”. “Repression triggers further anger among the common masses.”
Mirwaiz said people of Kashmir and the resistance leadership have repeatedly been stating that Kashmir is a political and human issue which needs a political and humanistic approach in dealing with it both by Delhi and Islamabad and that the best way to resolve it is by implementing the UN resolutions on it. An alternative way is sustained and meaningful tripartite dialogue between India, Pakistan and the people of Kashmir, who are basic party to the dispute.
He said the rigid policy of New Delhi is pushing Kashmir’s educated youth to wall and forcing them to choose armed means as a form of resistance against the forcible control which is extremely distressing and painful.
Miwaiz said that due to the prolonging of the dispute while Kashmiri youth are being killed harassed and tortured, it is also having an adverse affect on the Indian forces stationed here. “In past six years, 700 forces personnel have committed suicide due to mental stress and the hostile environment that they face here. This indicates that the seven-decade long conflict is taking a toll not only on the psyche of the people of Kashmir who are suffering from various psychiatric disorders as a consequence of the conflict but also on their own forces personnel working under tremendous stress,” he said, adding, “The status quo cannot be continued and GOI has to take steps for resolution. Cooperation in resolution rather than confrontation is the way out for one and all.”
Mirwaiz said that announcements that plastic bullets will now be added to the lethal arsenal of forces who already use bullets pellets, tear gas shells pepper gas and chilly grenades, will only increase the anger and hostility among Kashmiris. It is another indicator of how New Delhi views the problem and how it sees the people of Kashmir.
On the occasion Mirwaiz felicitated Pakistan on ‘Pakistan Day’, stating that Pakistan has been actively supporting Muslims across the globe in their genuine demands and has always been a great supporter to Kashmiris, on moral, and diplomatic front. Mirwaiz prayed for Pakistan’s stability and hoped that the country would touch new heights in progress and development. Mirwaiz also hoped that Pakistan would intensify its efforts as a stakeholder to ensure vexed issue of Kashmir is resolved as per the wishes of people.
