Early Times Report
Srinagar, Aug 5: Just days after Omar Abdullah-led National Conference MLA Javed Rana warned the government not to make changes to the Article 35A or face the prospect of not allowing the Indian flag to be unfurled in Kasmir, now an MLC from the party Basheer Veeri has spoken in support of "those fighting" in the valley. He said all those who died fighting the cause of Kashmir are martyrs. There is a reason why people sacrifice themselves in Kashmir, he said.
"A democratically elected Prime Minister was arrested in 1953, since then many people have died. Wouldn't you call them martyrs? He asked. "Everyone who is fighting the cause of Kashmir is a martyr. There is a reason why people sacrifice their hot blood," Veeri said.
On August 8, 1953, Sheikh Abdullah was removed as the Prime Minister of Jammu & Kashmir and put in jail. He was arrested after a speech in which he said the state of Jammu & Kashmir will accept the Indian constitution entirely once we're satisfied that "the grave of Communalism has been finally dug yet".
"Abdullah's wavering attitude towards India and Indians was dictated also by his own personal ambition. He was clear that he did not want Kashmir to join Pakistan; at the same time, he entertained the hope that with American help, he might yet carve out an independent nation, a sort of Switzerland of the East," writes historian Ramchandra Guha in the Hindu.
Veeri's comments were dubbed "unfortunate" by some who said "all those killed" include militants who were involved in the Pakistan-abetted insurgency in the valley. "It is wrong to cross call such people as martyrs," says Times Now's Pradeep Dutta. This is crossing a line and party chief Omar Abdullah needs to take an action, he added.
Last week another NC MLA Javed Rana addressing the public said if the government scraps Article 35A or Article 370 then Indian flag won't be unfurled in Kashmir.
According to a 2018 government report, civilian deaths in Kashmir have risen by 167 percent. At the same time, there has been a decline of 2.44 percent in the number of deaths of security personnel as compared to last year . |
