Anantnag, Oct 30 (KNS): The Chairman of Ummat e Islami Jammu Kashmir, Mirwaiz Qazi Ahmed Yasir, today condemned the burning of schools is like snatching oxygen from our children. He said that the ongoing uprising in Kashmir has been successful at many levels and people shouldn't feel dejected but the dialogue for peace can't bear any fruits when people are being killed, maimed and put in jails.
According to the KNS correspondent, Mirwaiz Yasir was addressing the media persons at his residence in the afternoon, first time since he was released from more than three-month long detention. The main focus was on the prevailing situation in the Valley, safety of minority communities and continuous burning of schools across Kashmir.
“The current changed scenario of the uprising, which has been going on since July 8, must not deject us," he told the press. "We have achieved several goals during the uprising that has shown a new face of Kashmiris' resilience and resistance. In the past India would say that protests in Kashmir are only confined to five police stations but this has shown how the uprising erupted in all corners of the Valley.”
He also stressed that achieving freedom is not just one day's job but nations have resisted for years and decades. Look at Africa, Algeria, Cuba, or even Indians when British ruled them, he said, adding that every nation has fought for its rights and achieved their goal of freedom and it is only the people who will make this freedom a reality.
“We don't only need to think of freedom only when there is an uprising,” he added. “We should learn to show resistance in our daily life - at every point and make it a point that we are ready to stand for our rights. Strength of a nation under occupation is to be united. We must not fall prey to the evil plans of the occupational power to get divided and then be ruled over time and again."
Praising the role of everyone during the uprising, he said that the ongoing uprising has set an example for whole world to see that Kashmiris want Azaadi, not just one section of society but whole of Kashmir wants Azaadi.
On the burning of schools, Mirwaiz Qazi Yasir said that the mysterious burning of schools and masked men attacking or burning vehicles is similar to that of unknown gunmen killing civilians. “If police can't safeguard the schools then are they in Kashmir only to jail and kill people. If the government can't safeguard schools then why are they creating hue and cry about examinations?, he asked.
While strongly condemning the burning of schools, he urged people to try to expose these elements and keep vigil and try to save educational institutes.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel“It is the same unknown figure that later turn out to be part of some group or agency that get benefit from such chaos and damage. They want to divert our attention from the political struggle. An achievement in education sector was when curfew schools were started across Kashmir to help students not lose much in their curriculum. When a nation stands united against a large occupation, such incidents take place only to divide them internally. We should teach our children, provide them education as it is the basics of any revolution or struggle”, he said.
Another issue that has come to our knowledge, he said, is that some minority communities in South Kashmir have expressed the feeling of being unsafe due to the ongoing situation in the Valley. "But we assure the Kashmiri Pandits, who are living in South Kashmir, that they should not feel unsafe because it is their homeland as much as it is someone else's. Kashmiris have proven time and again that they don't harm any minority community but even safeguard them - we have always said that even the Pandits who have migrated from the Valley should return to their homes," he added.
On the crackdown launched by the state government against civilians across Kashmir, Mirwaiz Qazi Yasir said that it has only showed the frustration of government. He said, “Mehbooba Mufti should understand that using force can't kill sentiments of people. Kashmir issue is a political problem and it needs a political solution - by delaying that solution India is only prolonging the dispute and it will not keep South Asia in peace. I believe dialogue is the way forward but it can happen only when the situation is conducive for that. Putting people in jail and killing them is not a favourable situation for dialogue. We demand release of all the political prisoners and youth who have been arrested in the last few months, including our party leaders Sarjan Barkati, Sajad Hashmi and many others. The state has shown brutal face by arresting teenagers under PSA and putting ailing leaders in jail.”
He also praised the efforts of all the organizations and individuals including Karwan Islami, Jamat Islami, Jamiat Ahli Hadith, who had been working since July 8 in relief work, helping people during the uprising. Naming all the socio-political and political organisations Mirwaiz Qazi Yasir said that such efforts should be continued even when there is no uprising. "We must stay united and help each other in order to run a long struggle to reach our goal of freedom”. (KNS)