Kashmir Struggle On Since 1947 When Social Media Did Not Exist: Sehrai

Srinagar: Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (TeH) chairman Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai on Saturday said that Kashmiri movement has been going on since 1947 when social media did not exist.

Reacting to the Army chief General Bipin Rawat’s statement that “misinformation campaign” on social media has “radicalized” Kashmiri youth Sehrai in a statement said, “The people of Kashmir are neither misinformed nor this indigenous struggle is driven by social media platforms.”

“General Rawat is deliberately issuing such statements and labeling educated Kashmiris as radicalized just to hoodwink the masses. He should be in know of the fact that people of Kashmir have been demanding their right to self determination peacefully since 1947 when such media platform did not even exist. Before labeling Kashmiris radicalized, he should realize that Kashmiri nation is not fighting any nation or any political party but striving for its just rights which had been promised to them seven decades ago by the international community including India’s first Prime Minister. Unfortunately, the state has so far dealt it with it brute force. The military and political leadership have no other option but to come to the grips of the reality that Kashmir issue cannot be dealt with military might or with threats but by involving all parties to Kashmir dispute in a meaningful and result-oriented dialogue process, which could also help end political uncertainty in entire South Asia,” Sehrai, said.

Meanwhile, Sehrai, while condemning the frequent door to door search operations and arresting of youth in all districts of south Kashmir, said, “This is the collective punishment being inflicted on the people in the winter months. The forces have unleashed fear across south Kashmir by launching frequent CASOs during which people of all ages including elderly, women and children are asked to stay out of their house in the biting cold for hours together. And then harassing and arresting youths is a dangerous ploy to further push them to the wall. This way, people are subjected to collective punishment. We demand an immediate end to these operations.”

Sehrai also strongly denounced what he termed as “arbitrary” arrest of three youth Tawseef Lone, Abdul Samad Inquilabi and Suhail Parray of Bandipora, slapping of PSA on them and their shifting to outside the Valley jails.