Srinagar: Castigating New Delhi for ‘not even sparing Kashmiri girls,’ Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik Tuesday said that slogans like Beti Bachav Beti Padav (save and educate girl child) fall flat at the residences of pellet victim Insha Mushtaq and dozens of other such girl victims.
He said that in Kashmir trigger-happy forces are now feeling proud by blinding young girls by firing pellets at them. Malik stated this at the residence of Insha at Sedu in South Kashmir’s Shopian district. The JKLF chief once again gave slip to police by leaving his residence in the midnight. He drove himself and stayed at a village close to Sedow till dawn and managed to reach Insha’s house with the first light of the day.
Insha was fired with pellets in her face by police while she was standing on the window of her house in July this year. She has lost vision in both her eyes.
Talking to the parents of 14-year-old Insha, Malik said tall claims of Prime Minister Narendera Modi like Beti Bachav Beti Padav fall flat here.
“Beti Bachav Beti Padav scheme is on display here. My heart pains to see Insha wearing dark glasses,” he said in an emotional tone. Insha said she was glad to hear the voice of Front chairman. “I wanted to study and help my parents, but pellets snatched my dream,” she said as Malik tried his best to raise her confidence.
“Not you alone, there are many girls, young women, who have been blinded either fully or partially by the pellets in the past over four month long agitation. This reflects the frustration on part of forces,” Malik said. “It is because of the resolve of people of Kashmir and their steadfastness that New Delhi is feeling frustrated. Its forces are now targeting our girls by firing pellets at their eyes. They blinded hundreds of our youth and yet continue to shower pellets on our girls and women.”
The JKLF chief also visited the residence of 17-year-old Aamir Bashir of Sedow who was also killed by security forces during the ongoing uprising. Malik expressed solidarity with the family of the slain boy who was the lone breadwinner for his family.
Later Malik reached Jamia Masjid Shopian and offered afternoon prayers. However, as the word about Malik’s presence in the Masjid spread, forces cordoned the masjid. Addressing the people already present in the Masjid, the JKLF chief said unity among pro-freedom leaders has unnerved New Delhi forcing it to try every bit to break it. “Many people are working to break this unity. It’s our collective duty to protect it,” he said. “There has to be one word, one program and this unity will remain till the present struggle is taken to its logical conclusion.”
The resistance and steadfastness shown by the people, Malik said, is a unique example. “150 days of shutdown is historic and will be written with golden words in the history of Kashmir,” he said.
Taking a dig at the present dispensation, Malik said that all records of “oppression and suppression” have been broken during the past over four months. “Tall claims of battle of ideas have fallen flat. We are not even allowed to meet victim families, offer funerals and express sympathies with the family members,” he said.
As he stepped out of the masjid, police detained Malik and lodged him in police station Shopian. Earlier, police had detained JKLF district president Javid Ahmed Bhat and senior leader Ghulam Muhammad Dar.
This is for the second time in recent days that Malik gave slip to forces. Recently, he drove alone from Srinagar to Tral in South Kashmir to visit slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani’s family.