WASIM KHALID

Srinagar, Apr 17: A day after J&K Police said it has arrested three persons allegedly involved in the assassination of President Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith (JAH) Moulana Showkat Shah, hundreds of JAH members and people thronged the organisation's headquarters at Barbarshah here, demanding severe punishment to the accused. They also demanded “exposure of a larger conspiracy behind the murder.”
 Addressing a gathering of people at the Headquarters, the acting JAH president, GR Malik demanded that all those involved in the killing of Moulana Showkat should be exposed.
 “We are satisfied with the government investigation. However, we want the case should be investigated fully. We believe there are more people behind the conspiracy and they need to be exposed,” Malik said.  “It’s an issue concerning entire Jammu and Kashmir. We have called an all party meeting on Monday to discuss the future programme. We would discuss the issue threadbare there and employ all our resources to unveil more people behind the assassination.”
 On Saturday police claimed to have arrested three members “of a core group” who were allegedly involved in the killing of Moulana Showkat last week. Police said “all the three were members of religious-cum-political organisation named Sout-ul-Haq and were earlier associated with the Tehreek-Ul-Mujahideen (TuM) outfit.” They claimed that Moulana was killed “since the accused wanted to seize the power in JAH, which they could not do as Moulana Showkat was reelected for the third term in the religious organization as president.”
 The JAH members, who had assembled from different parts of the Valley at Barbarshah, asserted that the best tribute to Moulana would be the fulfillment of his much-cherished dream of establishing the Trans-World Muslim University in Kashmir. Despite rain, hundreds of people reached the headquarters to pay tribute to the slain leader.
 Besides GR Malik, many JAH leaders like Moulana GN Shah, Dr Abdul Lateif Alkindi and Abdul Rehman Bhat addressed the public gathering.
 The speeches were interrupted with slogans. “Katiloun Ko Phansi Dou,” (hang the killers); showkat sahab aap kay khoon say inquillab aye ga (Showkat sahab your blood would bring revolution),” the people shouted.
 General Secretary, JAH, Abdul Rehman Bhat said: “The people who thronged the organisation's headquarters want that apart from the three accused, other people involved in the assassination of Moulana should be exposed.”
 Bhat stressed there were more people involved in the killing. “It cannot be the job of three men alone,” he said. “There are invisible hands behind the killing. We need to locate them. Apart from Showkat Sahib, there were other people who were killed in a similar way. We want to change the thinking of people regarding such killings. After all, how long shall we remain silent on such issues?” he said
 Bhat, however, brushed aside police claims that Moulana killing was related to power struggle in JAH.
 A JAH spokesman said Moulana Showkat believed in dialogue and resolution of Kashmir issue according to the people’s aspirations. “He worked for unity. He was against violence and bloodshed. He was of the opinion that Kashmir should be solved in a tripartite dialogue,” the spokesman said. “But there are some people who didn’t like it, neither his unity effort nor his way of struggle for freedom,” the spokesman said.
 Later, hundreds of people took out a procession to Gawkadal where Moulana was assassinated. They offered special prayers for the slain leader.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 17 Apr 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 17 Apr 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:00:00 IST