SRINAGAR: Advising Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed to take control of the situation and stop it from deteriorating further, Arya Samaj leader Swami Agnivesh Saturday said that Kashmiris have been facing worst kind of state terrorism and they are being treated as cattle without having any dignity and value for life.
Whatever is happening in Kashmir is wrong and off the beam. People are not allowed to protest peacefully and their voice is being muzzled. It speaks a lot and I am myself witness to this fact now that state terrorism is prevalent here, Agnivesh said adding that one cant rule over the hearts of people by force and repression.
He said that police detained him and Muhammad Yasin Malik and in a police station. I am choked and surprised what is happening in Kashmir. Why you are not allowing mourners to visit the bereaved family. This is injustice and forces you to believe that Kashmir is facing terrorism from the government and they must raise voice against it, he said.
Responding to a question, Swami Agnivesh said that people voted for Mufti with a hope that he will deliver and put an end to all kinds of repression and state terrorism. Its not end for Mufti, he has time to prove himself and it is necessary for him to tackle the situation himself without getting influenced by anyone (New Delhi). He is the Chief Minister and he should know the powers of a Chief Minister. He should not take dictation from New Delhi and as Chief Minister he should know what is good and what is bad for his state, Agnivesh said adding that truth will prevail and a day will come when human rights violations will come to an end in Kashmir.
PANDIT SETTLEMENTS
Agnivesh rejected governments proposal of according separate townships to the migrant Pandits saying it will turn the situation in Kashmir dreadful and turbulent.
It will stir the communal harmony of Kashmir which is known the world over. There should be no separate townships for Pandits. They must live in their native areas as they used to before they left the Valley, Agnivesh said on the sidelines of the press conference held jointly by JKLF chief Mohammad Yasin Malik and him in Maisuma.
Agnivesh said that separate townships would be a decision which would only sow the seeds of hatred and tensions between the minority and majority communities of Kashmir.
Migrant Pandits must return to their homeland with dignity and honor and should live with their natives. Kashmir has a beautiful composite culture and it should not be disturbed by the vested interests. All we need is to understand that humanity is a one family and separating it would certainly create imbalance in the society which is known for its principles of upholding the values of religious harmony and tolerance, Agnivesh said, adding that he attended the fast of JKLF leader to express solidarity with him and with his cause.
Malik is on a 30-hour long hunger strike against the governments proposed separate colonies for Kashmiri Pandits. He wants them to return to their original homes in the valley.
Justice Delivered to Tabinda After 8-Years
Court holds 4 accused as convicts, sentence to be awarded on April 23
KUPWARA: After nearly eight years of continuous trial, Principal and Sessions Judge, Kupwara Muhammad Ibrahim Wani Saturday held four accused responsible for Tabinda Gani rape and murder. The court will now announce the sentence on April 23.
Tabinda, a student of 8th class, was found dead in an orchard in Langate area on 20th July 2007 after her abduction. Medical reports had confirmed that the abductors had raped her before slitting her throat.
Following the incident, Kashmir witnessed massive street protests with people demanding severe punishment to the culprits. Police later arrested four accused, including two non-local lanourers and filed a challan against them. The accused confessed to the crime. But the justice eluded the victims family till date.
The last witness to the Tabinda Gani murder and rape case had admitted before the Session Court Kupwara that the four accused held for raping and murdering her were paraded before the eyewitnesses under his command and the people, including a minor, during the parade clearly identified the culprits and he is witness to such act.
The last (86th) witness in the case, the then Naib-Tehsildar Langate, presently Tehsildar, Abdul Rashid Shah continuously appeared before the Sessions Court for the fifth time and during his last turn, he confirmed to the court that all the accused in the case were properly identified by the witnesses during a parade.
He had identified the culprits as Sadiq Mir alias Sadiq Tsoor, Azhar Mir alias Bilal both residents of Langate, Jehangir Bihari of West Bengal (carpenter by profession) and Suresh Mochi (a cobbler).
The public prosecutor in the case stated that on the next date of hearing, he will pray for nothing less than the death sentence to the convicts before the court.
My daughter no different than Damini
Srinagar: Reacting to the court decision, Tabindas father, Abdul Gani Shah said death sentence to the convicts will be the real justice for the family.
If the killers of Damini of Delhi could be sentenced to death, why not the killers of my beloved daughter. I believe that only justice is the death sentence to the involved in the case, Gani said, adding that he still remembers the 20 July 2007 when his daughter left home for school in the morning and her body returned in the evening.
My only hope is the court that can deliver justice to us. We are waiting for it so that no person would ever dare to repeat such act with anyones daughter, Gani who runs a grocery shop in Handwara said.
He said he is thankful to the police and investigation teams who worked to unmask the killers of his daughter. I am thankful to the teams who worked tirelessly to get the hidden truth in this case, he said. (KNS)
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