The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) on Saturday lashed out at a protest march by the Hindu EktaManch in support of a special police officer accused of raping and murdering an eight-year-old girl last month, and warned of an agitation if the “victimisation” of Jammu Muslims is not stopped.
The leadership comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik said in a statement: “A rally by some Hindu chauvinists led by a BJP leader in support of a rapist and murderer of innocent eight-year-old AsifaBano, that too holding India’s tricolor and with full police protection is a glaring example of how the Indian ruling regime has fallen with regards to humanity and ethics.”
“It has also exposed the hypocritical politics of Mehbooba-led regime that in Kashmir does not tolerate any political program and imposes curfew, unleashes reign of terror against resistance camp and arrest political activists under black laws like PSA to prevent such programs but on other hand provides full police protection to an anti-human rally by fascist forces in Jammu,” the statement said.
The leaders called the rally a “slap on the face of the entire humanity”.
“This rally was led by BJP leader (state secretary) which is actually a glaring proof of the fascist mindset of the ruling class in India and Jammu Kashmir,” the statement said.
The statement quoting the trio said that “though Kashmiris never had faith in those who cry ‘BetiBachav’ on a daily basis”, it was not “expected of those who worship Sita and Radha to blatantly support a person who raped an innocent girl and killed her like a beast”.
“By this act of utmost shamelessness these fascists have clearly shown that for their religious fantasy they can stoop to any extent because honor and dignity of women and life of a human holds no value for them.”
The JRL said “no religion can allow such support for a rapist and killer and the organizers, supporters, participants and collaborators of this shameful rally have actually by their disgraceful act dishonored their own religion”.
“Organizing and allowing a rally in support of a rapist and killer with full police protection has made clear another fact also that the so-called rulers, their police and civil administration are hands in glove with these criminals,” the statement added.
The leaders said that instead of supporting a criminal, these people should have hit roads to demand an exemplary punishment for him but “the animosity against Muslims and Kashmiris has fogged their eyes and minds so much that these people with dead conscience came out displaying Indian flag in support of the very criminal.”
The statement reads: “So-called Mehbooba-led regime which lathicharged, arrested and humiliated those who staged protests against the rape and murder of Asifa but provided police protection to those who came out in favor of killer has actually exposed her integrity too.”
“A so-called women chief minister who mocked Kashmiri Muslims by saying that she is ashamed of being a Muslim and a Kashmiri but is proud of Jammu people is angry at this rally not because she feels ashamed for an innocent girl’s rape and murder but for Indian flag being dishonored. This is her real anti-human and anti-Muslim face and she is issuing these ridiculous statements to ensure her partnership with these fascist criminals.”
Stating that Muslims living in Jammu region will not be left at the mercy of “fascists and goons”, the leaders said “anyone aiming at repeating 1947 should remember that the entire Valley will rise against any such nefarious move and Kashmiri Muslims will spill their blood to save their Jammu brethren at every cost.”
“If the rulers immediately don’t take steps to stop their fascist behavior and partisanship against Jammu Muslims Kashmiri Muslims under the banner of freedom leadership will launch a full-fledged agitation and no stone will be left unturned to ensure the safety of Jammu Muslims,” the statement said.