Shah to Kashmiri Pandits
Srinagar | May 20 (PTK): Reiterating that the pro-freedom camp has time and again clarified its stand on the issue of rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits, the incarcerated chairman of Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) Shabir Ahmad Shah on Friday said any move aimed at changing the demography of Jammu and Kashmir will never be allowed at any cost.
In a statement, Shah said Kashmiris have always welcomed their Pandit brethren to their native places but to allot separate colonies for them is “unacceptable” as “that would create a rift between the two communities and will only serve the interests of communal forces who want to change the Muslim majority status of the state”.
Shah welcomed the “timely” reaction of the resistance camp over the issue saying, “we will never allow any anti-Kashmir policy like setting up of Sainik colony, clusters for non-Kashmiri homeless, NEET, settlement of West Pakistan refugees, or Industrial Policy, succeed in any way. The reason for this is obvious; Jammu and Kashmir is a disputed territory and the Indian rulers are bent to change its geographical and demographical nature through such ploys.”
Welcoming the Kashmiri Pandits to Valley, Shah said, “We have many a time held meetings with them in this regard. We again request them to return to their native places as live as they used to before migrating. They are the indigenous citizens of this land but they shouldn’t fall into the trap of the communal elements. Reality is that those claiming to be champions of Kashmiri Pandits have no sympathy with them but are only exploiting them for their vested interests like vote banks and communal politics.”
Shah warned that Kashmiris will be left with no option but to come on roads if authorities go with such “anti-Kashmir” moves. He said media reports in this regard are crystal clear and that the people don’t have any reason to believe the government spokesperson’s statements.
Meanwhile, a Freedom Party spokesperson said that authorities have made Shabir Ahmad Shah’s residence into a virtual jail where close vigil is being kept on every visitor. Condemning the restrictions, the spokesperson said such measures by so-called government have failed in past and can never break the resolve of pro-freedom leadership.
“Since Shah was released in 2011, he has been either detained or put under house arrest for a period of 32 months and 11 days. He was barred from offering 195 Friday and 9 Eid prayers since then,” the spokesperson said. (PTK)