Mufti, Jagmohan ‘architects’ of Gawkadal, other massacres: Kamal
Additional General Secretary National Conference Dr Sheikh Mustafa Kamal Tuesday said the memories of the Gawkadal massacre and dozen other similar massacres are still afresh in the hearts and minds of the Kashmiri nation and the people of Kashmir will never forget the “sinful relation between Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Jagmohan for what they unleashed on the defenceless people,”
As this 21st January, the Gawkadal massacre completes 25years, Kamal said Mufti, the founding patron of the PDP as the former Home Minister gave Kashmir some of its darkest and bloodiest chapters of suppression and gory bloodshed.
“Whatever the PDP shouts slogans about democracy, or change or being people friendly but the reality is that the founders of this very party murdered the democracy in Kashmir. Mufti Sayeed gave Kashmir Jagmohan as governor–in connivance with the Hindu Right Wing in Delhi. What Jagmohan did in Kashmir is recorded in blotted, red ink in the pages of history,” Kamal said.
He alleged Mufti being the president of Congress in the state, played an active role to pave way for the governors rule in the state for five times and then installed Jagmohan as the governor in 90’s, thus giving him the license to kill Kashmiris at will.
“It was during Mufti Sayeed’s rule as the Home Minister of India, with Jagmohan as his comrade-in-arms, that a reign of terror was unleashed on the people of Kashmir, and just within days after Jagmohan was made the governor, around 300 innocent people were killed across length and breadth of Kashmir like sitting ducks,” he alleged. “Jagmohan and Mufti Sayeed were partners in a phased era of atrocities on Kashmiris. The era of repression that was unleashed on hapless Kashmiris during Mufti Sayeed’s direct, unrestricted rule in Kashmir as the Home Minister of India is dotted by countless massacres of the innocent people of Kashmir.”
Recounting Mufti’s role in bloodshed in Kashmir, the NC leader said, “On January 21, around 55 civilians were shot dead, at Gawkadal Bridge on Jagmohan’s orders giving a hint to people that what Jagmohan was tasked with by the then Union home minister.”
“The list is too long. People of Kashmir were hunted down as sitting ducks with Mufti Sayeed at the helm of affairs. On January 25 – firing in Handwara, 26 civilians were shot dead. On March 1 – Governor ordered shoot-at-sight orders, again with the seal from the Home Ministry, against protestors marching towards UNMOGIP in Sonawar, 47 civilians were gunned down,” Kamal mentioned.
“On May 21– around 73 mourners, part of Shaheed Mirwaiz Farooq’s funeral procession were shot dead by security forces. Close to a 100 mourners injured. Mufti Sayeed, pertinently was still silent as the Home Minister in Delhi. On August 6, repression and executions in Mashaali Mohalla, Srinagar 9 civilians were killed, with scores injured. On August 10 – BSF cordon and crack-down in Pazipora, Kupwara scores of women molested and raped and 25 civilians shot dead.” Kamal recalled.
“On September 11, troops opened fire on a bus carrying civilians, 22 persons were killed on spot. Nine passengers were charred to death. On October 1, in a firing by BSF in Handwara 20 civilians were shot dead.”
Kamal questioned that how Mufti can talk about the rights violations in Kashmir “when he supervised them and remained silent?”
“How can the former Home Minister of India, the patron and partner of Jagmohan heal our wounds? The ‘peaceful tenure’ that Mufti’s are talking about was strewn with curbing the dissent in Kashmir on a large-scale. During Mufti’s tenure as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir around ‘1266’ people were booked under Public Safety Act (PSA),” Kamal said. “378 in the year 2003, around 516 in 2004 and 372 people were booked in the year 2005, Kamal added.
“Mufti Sayeed has not only remained a silent observer while in power but has also been a prominent part of a repressive regime through Jagmohan,” he alleged.
