A senior separatist leader in Kashmir called for shutdown on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s upcoming Kashmir visit after the authorities did not allowed him to visit the earthquake-hit areas of Doda district.
Separatist leader Yasin Malik had collected money and relief material in Kashmir valley for distribution in quake-affected areas. But, the authorities who have sought a multi-crore relief package from the Central Government, refused to allow the separatist’s venture. An official said that it was Malik’s publicity stunt and there was apprehension of law and order in the sensitive area.
Doda, predominantly inhabited by Kashmiri speaking people, is part of Jammu province and located in the south of Kashmir Valley across the Pirpanchal mountains. The district was hit by a massive earthquake earlier this month causing large-scale damage to life and property.
Malik’s arrest and refusal to his public interaction is seen as continuation of the coalition Government’s policy to keep separatist leaders squeezed in their own peripheries.
Hardline leader Syed Ali Geelani is another separatist leader who movement is highly restricted.Malik’s pocket borough, Maisuma locality in the Civil lines part of Srinagar observed shutdown and some of his supporters pelted stones on police. Three policemen have been injured in the street protests. However, the protests remained confined to the Maisuma pocket only.
Malik told reporters that their hotel rooms were raided by police on Wednesday evening soon after reaching Doda. He said they were forced to board a police bus that dropped them at Qazigund in Kashmir Valley.
The JKlF chairman accused Congress high command of preventing him from distributing relief among the earthquake victims in Chenab Valley.“The Congress high command in New Delhi had decided to stop us from distributing the relief among earthquake victims which JKlF had collected from Kashmiri people,” Malik said, adding, “Give me a single instance from anywhere in the world when relief distribution was not allowed”.
Terming Manmohan as “murderer” of Afzal Guru, Malik said, “In his regime, 42 innocent Kashmiris were killed in 2008, 72 in 2009 and 124 in 2010, so I appeal people of Kashmir to observe black day when Indian PM visits Kashmir,” he said.
Malik is known for distributing relief material among the calamity-hit people. In October 2005, he announced to distribute relief material worth Rs 1 crore among the earthquake-hit people in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The Government of India that time allowed the 46-year-old separatist leader to carry out the relief work in PoK.