“People throw up leadership, and circumstances shape it”

Your political life

I was studying in 8th standard, when Sheikh Abdullah wasbeing taken to prison & in those times, for the first time I heard aboutthe Azadi & the struggle, from my teacher. After passing my matriculation Iwent to Sopore, where I stayed with Master Gulam M Ganie. It was there that mypolitical sense flourished. In1949 for the first time I was arrested inZachaldara bomb case. In 1953, I was arrested for the second time & thistime I was jailed for 6 months, and was fined a sum of five thousand rupees. Ibecame MLA In 1967 & In 1968 I was arrested & sent to central jailagain. In 1969, I became a minster & In 1973 I resigned from the ministry.Then I was imprisoned two times In the era of the Sheikh  & after that In the time of Gulam M.Shah, & Jagmohan, I was jailed under the PSA. After 1987 elections whenFarooq Abdullah came to power, I was arrested alongwith Geelani sahab, QazINisar sahab & Gulam M. SumjI sahab. Lastly, I was arrested In April,1990,& it was my 9th   and thelongest  imprisonment. I was releasedrecently after a period of two years.

   

Q: Your latest Imprisonment

A: I was mentally prepared when I was being taken to jailbecause the path I chose these things were part & parcel of it. I knew verywell my political activities nowadays will make jail my second home & alsoit wasn’t hidden from me that the Indian government will use its Chanayaki  politics & Machiavellian methods. Theywere ruthless but all praises to the Almighty who gave me patience to endureall these brutalities. They treating me, Geelani Sahab, Prof. Abdul Ghani Bhat,Moulana Abbas Ansari, in a way that civilized world would hardly believe it.Geelani Sahib was beaten so much he bled continuously from his nose fromSrinagar to Jammu. Moulana Abbas Sahab was beaten with canes along with myother fellows. It was the most traumatic experience of life when we were keptstark naked In Jodhpur jail.

Jodhpur jail experience

A: I was ill before my arrest, and the treatment meted outin the jail further damaged my health. Actually, Jodhpur jail is the biggesttorture centre, a piece of hell. In this jail, along with Moulana Abbas &Professor Ghani,18 more young men were also with me. The staff looked upon usas dreaded terrorists. Nobody talked to us & when anything was offered tous, it was disgracefully thrown at us like we throw the stuff in front of dogs.Thanks to Allah that these 18 young inmates cared for me so much; I can’t thankthem enough.

This imprisonment made our bond stronger and we lived likebrothers. Moulana Abbas used to teach Quran along with its commentary.Professor Ghani used to teach Seerat-e-Nabi (PBUH). I used to share myexperiences, sweet & bitter anecdotes from my life which these young menkeenly listened to.

After coming out of jail, what do you feel about theconditions here

I don’t think much has changed. I feel like I have beenshifted from a small jail to a vast prison now. I realised this patheticsituation when on the second day of Eid, in Chogul, Handwara, I was keptstanding outside in rain, in sick condition, on the pretext of crackdown. Youcan feel the suffocation and fear in the air of the valley which doesn’t makeit less than a prison. But my heart is content on this thing that now we arewith our own people who are suffering and we proudly join them in theirsuffering and grief. And regarding the difference two years ago, I feel thatthe reach of this struggle has expanded tremendously

About the role of the gun

We never were in favour of violence, rather are peace lovingand so gentle that our enemies used to taunt us, considering our gentleness ascowardice. Our youth took up the arms when all the ways of peace talks,resolutions, and discussions were forcibly shut.

When peaceful struggles and revolutions are ignored, theviolent ways become inevitable. The aim of taking up guns by the youth was justa desperate knock on the conscience of the word by an oppressed and silencedpeople.

On leadership

You cannot buy leadership from the market, people throw itup and circumstances shape it. Also, in today’s world a group of leaders isconsidered better than a single powerful leader. Kashmiris don’t need a singleleadership, group leadership has more reach, more variety, and we all know thatKashmir is still suffering from the wrong doings of the so called single strongleader we have had in the past.

On the hanging of Maqbool Bhat

I knew Maqbool Bhat from childhood. We both used to study inTrehgam school. I was In 5th and he was in 3rd standard. We started gettingacquainted afterwards up to graduation. We both came from same area, bothbelonged to poor families. He ignited the fire of freedom in the hearts ofKashmiris and played such a historical role in raising voice against injustice,tyranny and occupation. We all are indebted to his sacrifices.

You are accused of changing your stance

A: It is not a sin to change your strategies according tothe circumstances and requirements of that time. I don’t consider it a taboo.Those people who accuse me of this thing, I don’t know what they mean by it as mypolitical life is an open book. Why people forget that I always have raised myvoice in favour of Kashmir. I don’t care what people think because the ultimatejudge is my Allah. He will judge my actions as only He knows my intentions.

Any message to the nation

 This is not the timeto point out differences, but staying united and supporting each otherunconditionally. The resilience shown by our people against the oppression issomething to be proud of. The sacrifices we have made are tremendous, and weare standing at the cross roads now.

Finally, I would say that resentment against the oppressorsis key to end the oppression.

The text of the interview was sent to us by  S.M Iqbal, Sr. Advocate at District CourtShopian. He can be contacted at smiqbal72@gmail.com

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