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| Beware of interlocutors for Jammu and Kashmir | | | RUSTAM
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Dec 17: And the great promoter and defender of Maoists, Naxalites and Islamic terrorists, Prashant Bhushan said, to the same English language daily: "In any democracy, people should be free to discuss fundamental issues like whether the country needs to change its composition or should integrate with a larger entity eroding some of its sovereignty. India should be open to such discussions, especially in the context of Kashmir, as it has always been a special case of a disputed territory… There is no question of Roy and Geelani being liable to criminal proceedings for their speeches…"
Similarly, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah defended Geelani et al, saying India is a democratic country and everyone enjoys the fundamental right to say whatever he/she wants to say. He condemned the nationalists, mostly displaced Kashmiri Hindus and Sikhs, who vociferously demonstrated at LTG Auditorium, New Delhi, where Geelani, Roy, Rao, SAR Gilani (of Parliament attack fame) and 200-odd separatists and extremists had gathered to unleash a break-India and hate-India campaign. Abdullah expressed these highly abominable views the same day and said the pro-India elements should not have been allowed entry into the Auditorium and allowed to do what they did, that is, disrupt the whole anti-India event and hold the national tri-colour high! Unsurprisingly, the Indian Police beat up the nationalists and booked around 70 of them!
Were the views expressed by Padgaonkar and Kumar any different from those aired by Habibullah and Bhushan? Not at all. Padgaonkar and Kumar told the Indian Express the same thing: "Our response should be that of a mature democracy. It should be based on cool reason and not the kind of emotional outbursts we witnessed yesterday… It is unfortunate that such a debate has started at a time when we are going to restart the peace process. In general, one should always exercise caution in such complicated political issues. More than caution, one should exercise vision... The Constitution guarantees freedom of speech but it also specifies what cannot be said as part of this right. If the authorities want to find out whether laws were broken, then they are entitled to do so… But it is in the larger interest if people express their views, no matter how extreme they are. That way, the public gets to know what they stand for and it is good."
Padgaonkar in particular was aware that Article 19 of the Constitution, which deals with the right to freedom of speech and expression (sub-clause (a) of clause (1), clearly states that "nothing in sub-clause (a) of clause (1) shall affect the operation of any existing law, or prevent the State from making any law, in so far as such law imposes reasonable restrictions on the exercise of the right conferred by the said sub-clause in the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India - Constitution (Sixteenth Amendment Act, 1963, sec. 2 -), security of the State, friendly relations with foreign countries, public order, decency or morality, or in relation to contempt of court, defamation or incitement to an offence;" yet he defended Geelani, Roy and other rabidly anti-India separatists, thus establishing that the interlocutors are all out to make common cause with the Kashmiri separatists and extremists. The message was loud and clear.
It would be appropriate to refer briefly to what Geelani, Roy and SAR Gilani said in the LTG Auditorium to put matters in perspective. While Geelani demanded withdrawal of everything Indian from Kashmir and the right to secede, Roy said: "Kashmir should get azadi from bhooke-nange (hungry-naked) Hindustan … India needs azadi from Kashmir and Kashmir from India . It is a good debate that has started. We must deepen this conversation and I am happy that young people are getting involved for this cause, which is their future. Indian Government is a hollow super power and I disassociate with it… Earlier we used to talk about our head held high and now we lay prostrate to the US … Kashmiris have to decide whether they want to be with or get separated from bhooke-nange Hindustan … I am also aware of the stories about Kashmiri Pandits. I must tell you that Panun Kashmir is a false group." SAR Gilani said: "The demand of Kashmir azadi not only meant the Kashmir Valley , but the entire Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh." (To be continued) |
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