By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net
Srinagar: A day before the third anniversary of hanging of Mohammad Afzal Guru, who was convicted and hanged for his alleged role in the December 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament, the Valley on Monday witnessed an uneasy calm. Most of the day was occupied with protest rallies by different separatist groups.
Importantly, Guru was hanged on February 9, 2013 inside Tihar Jail in Delhi, whereas Maqbool Bhat, the founder of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front was also hung in the same jail on February 11, 1984.
All separatist camps have called for a strike on Tuesday, February 9 on the third anniversary of hanging of Guru, and on Thursday, February 11, on the anniversary of execution of Bhat. The separatists have been demanding the mortal remains of both Guru and Bhat, which were buried inside Tihar Jail by authorities.
Yasin Malik, chairman, Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front, was arrested on Monday from his office in Abi Guzar area of Srinagar ahead of his protest program on the anniversaries. He was later sent on judicial remand for seven days to Central Jail, Srinagar.
Aasiya Andrabi, chairperson, Dukhtaran-e-Millat in a statement while paying tributes to Maqbool Bhat and Afzal Guru, said that the 9 and 11 February episodes are a few among those “blots” which have further “distorted the face of India”, the “so-called biggest democracy” of the world.
While hailing both of them as heroes, she said “Observing a customary shutdown only would not be enough to remember and tribute these ‘great heroes’ but what is needed is to introspect and renew the commitment to the cause.”
Er Rasheed, Legislator from Langate, often refereed as half-separatist and half-mainstream leader has said, “Let not only India but world community explain what they have achieved by hanging Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat…India’s military might and financial packages have yielded nothing except pushing Kashmiris to further radicalization and alienation.”
“If Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat were terrorists, why doesn’t the Government of India act against hundreds of officers in uniform who are involved in heinous crimes from murders to forced disappearances?” he added.
In order to maintain law and order in Srinagar, the district administration has decided to put in restrictions in five police stations of Old Srinagar on 9 February.
The protests in photographs:
