‘Panchayat members from 52 villages will resign if land leased to army’
SRINAGAR: In a surprising twist to the land lease row pertaining to the sprawling Tosamaidan firing range, Jammu and Kashmir RTI Movement and Tosa-Maidan Bachao Front Friday said the local activists would not sponsor strikes and agitation but would be content with the legal fight. Curiously, Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has gone full blast against the military occupation of the historic Tosamaidan and called for shutdown and protests on Saturday.
“Tosamaidan belongs to every Kashmiri. Anybody can take up this cause. But we have already made it clear that we won’t accept any political interference and would not go for strikes or agitation. We are fighting a legal battle and we will continue,” said Maqbool Magray, Sarpanch of a village adjoining Tosamaidan. Maqbool, who also heads Tosamaidan Bachao Front, said the people living around Tosamaidan have been suffering for past fifty years. “For this half century we saw nobody coming to our rescue. None from mainstream or separatist groups tried to even at least understand this issue,” Maqbool asserted.
Sarpanch Shunglipora and Vice Chairman Tosamaidan Bachave Front Mohammed Akram said that TBT is purely a social /peoples movement and it will not allow any political interference in it. He said that we have already announced to boycott political process till Tosamaidan lease is cancelled.
The decision taken to withdraw firing range from Toasmaidan, and develop the same as a tourist destination will be historical decision of this Government after RTI legislation and Public Services Guarantee Act (PSGA) Act, Dr. Shaikh Ghulam Rasool, Chairman J&K RTI Movement said.
Developing Toasmaidan as tourist spot will contribute to the local economy and J&K tourism industry as well, moreover the decision of shifting the firing range will prevent further human and environmental loss, Farooq Kuthoo, spokesman Tosa Maidan Bachave Front said. He appreciated the support of Civil Society and other social groups for extending their support.
The statement said that as they have stated time and again all the Panchayat members of this area will resign if lease agreement is extended in favor of Army, Chairman Panchayat Association, Master Maqbool said. He appreciated the role of media and J&K RTI Movement in bringing the issue in public domain.
If the lease agreement is extended to the army for firing purposes the people from 52 villages of this area will have a sit in at the place of shelling. We demand complete shifting of this firing range from the government and we will continue our fight till Tosamaidan is vacated, said general secretary of Toasmaidan Bachao Front, Molvi Maqbool said.
We will go for mass resignations, initiate election boycott campaign and organise mass demonstrations if the lease is extended, said local Sarpanches and members of TBT Tanveer Farash and Manzoor Rather.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
ACT NOW |
MONTHLY | Rs 100 | |
YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |