The members from various rights groups on Monday said if government had used pellets in other states like it used in Kashmir, it would have resulted into “rebellion”, adding that “Kashmiris are tolerant enough to bear all those government atrocities”.
The rights activists from various parts of India under the amalgam of National Alliance of People’s Movement (NAPM) made a brief interaction with media here.
The members have been visiting Kashmir after 2016 protests. “In Kashmir people are enduring from many years. We feel that this is excess. The use of pellets guns here, I feel government cannot use anywhere in India. If it would have done it anywhere it would have resulted in rebellion. We would say Kashmiris are tolerant enough to bear all those government atrocities,” said a member of NPAM, Sandeep Pandey.
Replying a question, Pandey said militancy in Kashmir is “projected big”. “Militancy problem is not that big. It is being projected big,” he said.
Pandey also questioned government’s repeated assertions that Kashmiris are being instigated by Pakistan.
“It is strange that if government of India is saying each child and women in Kashmir is paid by Pakistan to throw stones by giving handing them Rs 500, it is strange that from 70 years this part of Kashmir is in your control,” he said.
He added: “Is interference of Pakistan to such extent that it is providing money to each child and women here. If Pakistan has got people here with it on the basis of religion, why they are not able to take people of Nepal along with them also. People of Nepal are protesting against us since our government wants to interfere in their constitution. The supplies going through UP and other parts were blockaded…”.
Pandey also said Article 370 and Article 35-A that grant special status to Jammu and Kashmir must not be fiddled with.
“We believe it is right of people of Kashmir…Article 370 and 35-A is in our constitution like democracy and secularism is there. It (Article 370 and Article 35-A) is also like that and government of India must respect it,” said Pandey, flanked by other members from the group.
Pandey said their group supports demand of Kashmiris’ right to self determination.
He also impressed upon governments of both India and Pakistan to find a democratic way out to Kashmir issue.
The other members of the group present on the occasion were SR Suniti, Rajendra Ravi, Krishnakant, Sanjeev Kumar, Basant Hetamsana, Aishwarya Adhikari and Fauzia Tehzeeb.