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| ‘Azadi’ slogans unfortunate: Muslim body | | | New Delhi | Aug 22
A prominent Muslim organisation today said that it is unfortunate that issue in the Kashmir valley was no longer the Amarnath land row but 'azadi'.
"It is unfortunate that such a feeling has crept back in the valley ... The land issue seems to have taken a back seat," Mahmood A Madani, leader of the Jamiat-Ulama-I-Hind said when asked if there was revival of the 'azadi' sentiments in the valley that existed in the 90's.
Madani's party had participated in a Civil Society Peace Mission to Kashmir early this week.
Madani, a parliamentarian, who along with others met leaders of Sri Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti (SASS), held separate talks with Mirwaiz Umar Farooq of Hurriyat Conference along with separatist Syed Ali Geelani and state Governor N N Vohra and said that communal tensions have crept up in Jammu.
"We came across instances where certain Muslim houses were attacked and Muslim truck and bus drivers leaving the valley were beaten up. We ourselves did not feel that safe travelling in Jammu," he said.
On asked what transpired in their meeting with the Governor, Madani said that Vohra "assured us that the government will pay adequate compensation to victims of violence during the agitation and 'chakka jam' is a form of economic blockade and the same shall not be permitted on national highways."
Madani and others, who also included former MP J K Jain and Father Samuel, a Christan representative said that Lila Karan Sharma, president SASS, "categorically said that the protests in Jammu would stop once the land was given to them."
However, when asked if the protests in the Valley would stop once the land issue was resolved, Madani refused to answer it, saying it was "hypothetical".
The members of the visiting team said that the issue of the land row could be resolved by holding discussions between SASS, Hurriyat and others.
"In such situations when the point of contention is religion, it is important for civil society to come forward and chip in to diffuse the tension," he said.
He added that the situation has come to such an extent it is turning out to be a fight between people of Kashmir and Jammu residents.
"Even the leaders who are leading the protests admit that the response from people is far more than they had expected. The state appears to be helpless at the moment but should understand that peace must be preceded by justice. Injustice of the state is fuelling the fire," he said.
On asked if any particular political party or any person should be held responsible for the situation, Madani said the purpose of the visit was to talk to leaders from both SASS and Hurriyat and "put them across a table" rather than to find faults. |
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