Shopian killings: PDP led by Mehbooba took to streets against Shopian killings The opposition PDP took out a protest march against the ruling National Conference and the government led by Omar Abdullah, ruing the ‘prevailing lawlessness and unabated killings of youth’ in the State. Led by the PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, several PDP legislators and hundreds of party workers carrying banners and placards marched from the party headquarters to Lal Chowk through Residency Road. They held a sit-in at Regal Chowk after the riot police stopped them. The opposition party demanded that the “killers” of Shopian, be identified and brought to justice. A large number of policemen had cordoned off the road leading to the Clock Tower. Addressing party workers and legislators at Regal Chowk, Mehbooba alleged that there had been a breakdown in the system of governance in the state and accused Omar of playing with the innocent lives. Asserting that Omar Abdullah-led government is “ruling Kashmiris through pellet guns and bullets,” the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti said “Kashmiris have become cannon fodder for Omar Abdullah to be in power. Terming the situation in the Valley as a matter of grave concern, Mehbooba said the government headed by NC is ruling the State, especially the Valley, “through the barrel of gun, pellet guns and pepper grenades.” Mehbooba said more than 1000 youth have been arrested after the latest cycle of unrest gripped the Valley and the “arrests have become commercial activity for the cadres of NC and some police officials.” “Hefty sums are demanded from the families of arrested youth in lieu of releasing them,” she said, adding, “Youngsters bailed out by courts are being framed in other cases to extort money from their families.” “Many civilians lost life due to use of poisonous pepper gas while several youth lost eyesight after being hit by pellets,” she added. Omar Abdullah’s government, Mehbooba said, is pushing Kashmiris to the wall and youth are forced to pick up arms due to “suppressive and oppressive” policies of the government. Mehbooba said the situation is “going back to square one” in the Valley “due to follies and blunders of the government.” She said that,“mainstream parties are once again abhorred by the masses.” The PDP chief also castigated the State Government for putting pro-freedom leaders like Syed Ali Shah Geelani under house arrest and did not allow him even to offer Friday prayers. “Is Indian sovreignity so feeble that it would shake instantly if the State Government would allow Geelani to offer Friday prayers? Mehbooba Mufti said that Omar Abdulllah is harping on the revocation of AFSPA while the fact is that Jammu and Kashmir police did come in the ambit of this draconian law. “I want to ask the Chief Minister did he ever take any action against the guilty cop who was found involved in the killing of innocent people. What about the Aaloochi Bagh incident? What about Tufail Matoo, Wamiq Farooq?” She asked. She said that when Omar Abdullah was sure that people in Kishtwar would open a front against him, he forced a Minister to resign and made him a scapegoat. “This government is a total failure which is sucking the blood of common people,” she said. She said that Shopian incident has once again exposed the sorry state of affairs prevailing in Jammu and Kashmir. "CRPF’s firing in the area was totally unwarranted and reflects how deeply the culture of impunity has become entrenched in the state. It is a matter of regret that the present dispensation in the state is incapable of stopping such "barbaric incidents”. It is now becoming increasingly clear that the state government has lost all control on the situation,” she said. Mehbooba said state is presenting a picture of lawlessness where everybody, whether an unknown gunman or security personnel entrusted with the duty of protecting lives, can get away with atrocities. Expressing solidarity with the bereaved families, she said the tragedy has devastated more families and no words can compensate their loss. She said that Government Forces was never held accountable for such incidents. She said the lack of accountability is the reason for rise in such incidents. (CNS)
Posted on: Sat, 14 Sep 2013 04:33:00 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015