Press Trust of India

Mirwaiz rues army’s bragging on death count in Valley

Mirwaiz rues army’s bragging on death count in Valley
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Srinagar: Moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooqcriticised Northern Army Commander Lt. Gen Ranbir Singh for his remarks terming 2018 as a remarkable year for the force for killing 250 militants.
“The statement of Army (commander) that 2018 was a remarkable year for them in Kashmir as they killed over 250 militants is extremely unfortunate,” the Mirwaiz told a Friday congregation at Jamia Masjid here.
He was responding to the remarks of Lt. Gen Ranbir Singh in which he reportedly said that 2018 has been a great year for the security forces as more than 250 militants were killed, 54 were caught alive and four surrendered to the forces.
The Mirwaiz claimed many Army officers have in their write-ups and lectures admitted that Jammu and Kashmir is a political problem that has to be resolved politically.
“Instead of admitting this, the armed force of a country that prides itself in the history of its freedom struggle…sells the killings of these armed youths as a great achievement to people of India,” he added.
Mirwaiz said it is strange that a well-trained armed force meant to fight another well trained armed force is celebrating and patting its back on killing young men and boys, some as young as 14, while some budding intellectuals and academics and calling it remarkable!
“These that they are boasting of killing are not some hardcore armed guerillas and terror mongers but sentiment driven youth forced to take to arms as a consequence of severe repression due to forcible control and what they ( youth) feel, failure of political means to express what is essentially a political demand for self-determination,” Mirwaiz said.
“It is simply the intensity of their passion that drives these young boys, who are poorly trained and starved of ammunition to be able to give a real fight, in this greatly unequal battle to an armed force of a country,” Mirwaiz said.
He said that yet these boys do and give up their precious lives for the cause they hold dear. “The pain and loss that all of Kashmir feels at their death only adds to people’s resolve and pushes more young to join in. Instead of admitting this, the armed force of a country that prides itself in the history of its freedom struggle by honoring the likes of SubhasChander Bose who raised Indian National Army to fight the British colonial rule sells the killing of these armed youth as a great achievement to people of India,” he said.
Mirwaiz said that many in Indian army have in their write-ups and lectures admitted that J&K is a political problem that has to be resolved as such.
Mirwaiz said the whole world reiterates that there can be no military solution to the dispute. Mirwaiz said those who are using militarization to prolong the status quo should understand that it comes with a cost and keeps increasing complexities.
Mirwaiz said that while the incumbent governor has said that Government does not want to kill militants but militancy, if it is so and they are sincere then government should address the cause that is leading these educated and young boys to take to arms – start a political process in ernest to address the sentiment behind it and resolve the dispute .
“It will not only save the lives of our youth but soldiers also, end militarization and the resultant atrocities that governor wants leadership to convey to him and end the uncertainty and hostility that the region is hostage to for past 71 years,” Mirwaiz added.


Press Trust of India

Press Trust of India is lead news agency of India

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