Islamabad (Anantnag), June 11: Senior National Conference (NC) leader and Parliamentarian Dr Mehboob Beg on Saturday saluted Kashmiris for rendering unflinching sacrifices for the movement.
 “I am not against the ongoing movement but education and development cannot be held hostage to it,” said Dr Beg while addressing a gathering at his ancestral house at Sarnal in this south Kashmir town on the 29th death anniversary of his father and NC stalwart, Mirza Muhamad Afzal Beg. 
 “It was NC which led the Plebiscite Front movement for 22-years and its activists rendered enormous sacrifices to carry forward the mission of Sher-I-Kashmir, Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah and Fakhr-I-Kashmir, Mirza Afzal Beg.  Even our house was frequently raided by Army, during that time. I am not against the present movement and salute the martyrs who laid their lives during the ongoing movement as also during the last year’s summer unrest. I have even talked about it at the floor of the Parliament. Sixty two years have passed and the solution of the Kashmir issue is yet to come and we don’t how many more years will it take. Till then we cannot afford to keep our education and development hostage to the resolution of the Kashmir issue. I don’t want that schools and colleges should be closed for 6-months. Give me the name of any mainstream or separatist leader whose children are illiterate,” he said.
 Dr Beg said that he had been advocating the Kashmir issue in Parliament and would continue to do so.
  Dr Beg lauded the people of Kashmir for keeping the Kashmir issue alive.
 “The sacrifices offered by the people of Kashmir are unparallel and it is because of this that Kashmir issue is alive in the international arena. Even Junagadh and Hyderabad were like Kashmir but nobody mentions even their name now.”
 Defending the decision of the state government to deport Human Rights Activists, Gautam Navlakha, Beg said, “The situation in Kashmir during the last years has been very volatile. We don’t want any law and order problem again. So, it is necessary   that activists like Gautam and Arundhati Roy who have not studied Kashmir much, be kept at bay”.  
 Dr Beg also announced the joining of his son, advocate Waseem Beg in the National Conference. “I am putting my son at the service of the people of Islamabad and if he is not able to deliver, I assure you that I would be the first person to ensure that he steps down,” he said.
 Later, a Fateha-Khwani was held at Mirza Afzal Begs graveyard at Sarnal.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 11 Jun 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 11 Jun 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 12 Jun 2011 00:00:00 IST