Srinagar, Apr 23: The 40-year old Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir People’s Political Party (PPP) Engineer Hilal Ahmad War has decided to marry a ‘downtrodden’ girl, Razia Rehman from Bemina, here.
 “I am marrying a downtrodden girl from a lower middle class family of Bemina on May 13 this year; she is an orphan,” Hilal told Greater Kashmir.
 In the backdrop of a banner picturing former Prime Minister of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and daughter Benazir Bhutto, Hilal, wearing a pink Shalwar Kameez, said he is proud of himself and his political mentors under whose principles he drove to the extent no other leader could go to. “The idea of marrying a poor girl never crossed into anyone’s mind. People close to me always drew parallels that if all the separatist leaders can marry  high-class women why they cannot not do the same. I always told them I will never betray the people of my motherland,” he said.
  He said he had a dream to marry a victim of conflict and set a precedent. “I wanted to marry one of the Kunaposhpora victims but I had to unfortunately give in to the tremendous family pressure. I rejected high profile proposal from Pakistan, Middle East and other places with the sole aim of marrying a destitute from my motherland,” he added.
 He said young Kashmiri detainees lodged in Central jail Srinagar hated him after coming face to face with them when he was also lodged under PSA in 2008. “I saw youths crying in the Jail. When they heard I was there they confronted me and told we were treacherous and we (leaders) betrayed them. One of the youths said our leaders are marrying high profile women while we remain lodged for years and women victims remain unmarried throughout the life’. He bashed me. I was helpless. I too cried and promised that I will not let them down who sacrificed their youth for the movement,” he added.
 “It is absolute truth that we have forgotten the ideals of struggle. Before ‘90s we had promised we shall not marry until the goal is achieved. But the ideals were torn apart.”
 Hilal said this ‘unprecedented’ initiative of his would open the eyes of his friends and foes. “Those leaders who married high-profile women across and from Kashmir opened up a new chapter of westernization and forgetfulness. They forgot the principle that a leader is all about sacrifice,” he added.  
 He said separatist leaders were only claiming to give abode to the suppressed lot but did nothing practically. “At the end they succumbed to let go of it. How can they let go of it? Had they married the victims of conflict, resistance movement would have brought revolution,” he said, adding that nothing is personal for a leader who is supposed to be a savior for the rest.
 “My family tells me I am committing suicide by marrying the girl. But I am proudly saying that Razia has chosen me her life partner. My first choice was to marry a Kunan victim, choosing a destitute however was my second option.”
 Hilal said he apologizes to the victims of Kunaposhpora for failing to choose one among them as his life partner, “But I hope the younger generation will follow the trend and marry the real heroines of the land”. “I apologize that I could not pick one among them owing to family pressure,” he said.
 “A leader is not who is cozy. There are sacrifices of sacrifices he should give. My marrying a destitute girl will not make me poor but it will enrich me to struggle nobly and passionately,” he added. 
 “Separatists must never compromise on the core values and fundamentals of the struggle. My marrying Razia Rehman is a slap on those who broke the word,” said Hilal
 “The so-called peoples’ leaders are playing a friendly match with the oppressor but responsible people will emerge from the ashes and defeat those who defaced the movement,” he added.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 23 Apr 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
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