Srinagar, Apr 24 (KNS): The Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) on Monday expressed strong resentment over the continuous house arrest of its chairman Shabir Ahmad Shah saying the pro-freedom has spent 30 years of his life in jails and the administration by incarcerating him is resorting to “political vengeance.”
The party also condemned the continuous house detention of Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Geelani Sahib saying there is no constitutional or moral justification for the detention.
In a statement issued to KNS, DFP secretary general Moulana Abdullah Tari said Shah said Shah is not allowed to even offer the congregational Friday prayers.
Criticising authorities, Tari said such “undemocratic” acts puncture the balloon of the so-called ‘battle of ideas’. He said through such actions, the administration “has validated our point that there is no such thing as ‘freedom of religion’ in the state”.
Giving details of Shah’s incarceration period, Moulana said from 2011 till date, Shah has been in police detention or under house arrest for a period of 43 months and 5 days and during this time he was barred from offering 242 Friday and 12 Eid prayers. “During this period, many of Shah Sahib’s close relatives passed away but he wasn’t allowed to attend the last rites,” he said.
The DFP secretary general said, “People still remember the dramas this (ruling) class used to enact before it received power in charity from New Delhi. They still remember how these people used to visit door-to-door, shed crocodile tears, and vehemently criticise the then rulers for launching crackdown on the resistance leadership.”
“Those who used to make big promises of starting the double currency, self-rule, and dialogue with the resistance leadership have forgotten everything after coming to power.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel”
He said PDP by entering into “unholy” alliance with BJP has proven its government to be the most “useless” and “selfish one as for power it turned the whole State into a virtual jail.”
Terming the attack on a Bakerwal family in Reasi as frustration of the communal elements, Tari said if such attacks are not stopped and the culprits not brought to book, it will yield serious repercussions. “The Muslims of Kashmir won’t remain mute spectators over the conspiracies being hatched against the Jammu Muslims. We’re with them,” he said.
Meanwhile, police has re-arrested the Freedom Party’s district president Pulwama Mohammad Amin after court quashed his PSA. Amin is under police detention since past six months. Also, the DFP district president Shopian Tanveer Ahmad was recently presented before court and later on booked under PSA and shifted to central jail.
Similarly, party’s Bashir Ahmad, Mohammad Yousuf, Mohammad Shafi, and dozens of activists are being shifted from one police station to other.
Condemning such arrests, Moulana said authorities fail to understand that it is impossible to break the resolve of pro-freedom leaders, activists, and people. “Had that been the case, the so-called government wouldn’t have faced a humiliating defeat in the sham polls,” he said.
Tari also termed the use of force against students from the last several days as “sick-mindedness” of authorities. (KNS)