Srinagar: The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) on Saturday said that the paranoia and panic that has gripped the state on the ‘martyrdom anniversary’ of slain Hizb Commander Burhan Wani is an ‘acknowledgment that even his memory that lives in each Kashmiri’s heart, is a threat to the mighty Indian state despite its huge military control’.
The JRL comprises of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and Mohammad Yasin Malik.
In a joint statement Geelani, Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik said, “Curfews and restrictions across the valley, blanket ban, and gags on communication channels and networks, suspension of rail links, closing of highways, deployment of additional forces at every nook and corner of the valley that is already a military garrison, arbitrary arrests and detentions raids on homes and harassment to people, and all measures to prevent people from paying homage to the ‘martyr’ and his associates completely exposes the fear of the oppressor in the face of people’s revolt and resistance to its forcible control.”
The statement added, “It also shows that however mighty and resourceful a state may be, it can only suppress a people struggling for freedom and justice physically, but can never crush their spirit and aspirations, of which it is actually afraid of.”
While paying tributes to Burhan Wani, the resistance leaders also remembered the civilians killed during the 2016 uprising.
“Today while we pay homage to Burhan and his associates we also remember the great sacrifices of 125 civilians including children and old men and women murdered in cold blood by the Indian forces last year,” the statement read.The statement also mentioned that thousands were blinded and maimed by bullets and pellets rained upon them.
“Apart from that, tens of thousands were arrested and jailed, tortured, and abused, and the livelihood and property of hundreds of people was destroyed and damaged.”
Leaders said that Kashmir has been declared a ‘war zone’ by India just because Kashmiris are demanding their fundamental political right.
“People are being collectively punished by a mighty regime that has declared Kashmir a “war zone” where all human rights of its citizens cease to exist for daring to demand their fundamental political right,” they said in the statement.
“So people are being taught a lesson in subservience through use of brute force,” the statement asserted.
The resistance leaders also maintained that since 70 years people have faced the repression, so how can this brute policy of the state push them away from achieving their goal.
“This approach of the state is flawed and they will never succeed in pushing people away from striving for the fulfillment of their political aspirations. People’s commitment has stood the test of time. If people could not get dissuaded from it in the past seventy years and the fourth generation of Kashmiri has got associated with it more forcefully and emotionally, why will repression work now?,” the statement said.
The leadership thanked people of Chenab Valley including Baderwah, Kishtwar and Banihal for observing a strike on Burhan’s anniversary and to show ‘solidarity with the people of Kashmir in the joint struggle against occupation.’
