Election Politics Responsible for Communal Clashes: Malik
SRINAGAR: Calling for a peace march on Monday against Kishtwar incident, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik Sunday blamed mainstream political parties for igniting communal and sectarian clashes in the state for deriving political mileage in the forthcoming elections.
Addressing a hurriedly called press conference here, Malik said, Was it a co-incidence or a pre-planned conspiracy that first communal clashes started in Zanskar and then sectarian clashes took place in Budgam and now we see communal clashes in Kishtwar and other parts of Jammu division.
He said that election politics was the main reason for these clashes. In 2008 Amarnath land row controversy was solved in one week after peaceful protests in Kashmir. But after that an economic blockade was imposed on Kashmir valley by fanatics in Jammu and agitation was started just three months before the elections, Malik said.
The JKLF chairman claimed that election politics has become so dirty now that now violence is being resorted and innocents are killed. No religion allows what happened in Kishtwar.
Malik alleged that right from 1947 states policy has been to divide Jammu and Kashmir on communal lines. Trifurcation of the state is plan of Indian Home Ministry, he said and added the polarisation in Jammu suits both Congress and the BJP.
Questioning the silence maintained by civil society in Jammu, he said, Why they are hiding when the fire of communal clashes is spreading. Our appeal to saner voices in Jammu is to defuse the tension and they come forward and play their role.
Quoting the 2008 incident when Kashmir based traders decided to boycott purchasing goods from Jammu traders in the aftermath of economic blockade of Valley, Malik said, The traders community of Jammu approached the Coordination Committee (CC) leadership in Kashmir and appealed them to end the boycott with Jammu traders which the CC did. Business community of Jammu has to answer this time what they want.
If people like (Praveen) Togidia will keep on threatening Muslims how will situation improve? he asked.
Malik said that Village Defence Committees in Jammu division were playing the same role as Ikhwanis (counter insurgents) played in Kashmir. Ikhwanis killed innocent people and also tries to silence the voices of saner elements. Same is being done by VDCs now in Jammu.
He said that state cant absolve itself from the blame. Can state say some one else is responsible for happenings in Jammu division when they have themselves armed the VDCs, he added.
He appealed people of Kashmir that while expressing their solidarity with the brothers in Kisthwar, Doda and other parts of Jammu, they should maintain their high moral values of religious tolerance and harmony.
The JKLF chairman said they would take out a peace march from Maisuma to Lal Chowk on Monday to send a message of peace in wake of communal clashes in Jammu division. Our demand will be to disarm VDCs and peace message to people of Jammu.
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