1. Home
2. Jammu Kashmir

CM responsible for atrocities on Gujjars: Mian Altaf

KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 4/26/2017 9:55:45 AM

Questions inaction of police, FIR against Gujjars

JAMMU, Apr 25: National Conference on Tuesday held Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti responsible for persecution and growing incidents of violence against Gujjars and Bakerwals in Jammu, saying that being incharge of the home ministry she failed in enforcing rule of law and reining in the coalition partner BJP, which had let loose its various wings to unleash scare among minorities.
“The organized attack on a hapless nomad family in Reasi should not be viewed in isolation, as it is part of an orchestrated campaign against the Gujjars which is manifested in uprooting them from the lands they have been inhabiting since decades,” senior National Conference leader and former minister Mian Altaf Ahmed said while addressing a press conference at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan here this afternoon.
NC leader described the Reasi incident as most barbaric wherein a 70-year old Gujjar was subjected to torture by an unruly mob inside the police naka. Instead of acting against the perpetrators of violence, the police remained mute spectators which encouraged hooligans to pounce upon the elderly person like vultures. “A young child is missing and the other members of the family including women got severe thrashing,” he said adding that the “hooligans, which were the members of various wings of the BJP, got away with cattle and creating havoc on the family.” He said, “The movement of Gujjars towards high pastures and Behaks is a common phenomenon in Jammu and Kashmir, which dates back to the times of the Maharaja. However, this time around, the RSS hooligans used the migration of live stock to the larger agenda of inciting passions,” he added.
The former minister decried the muteness of police and questioned the rationale behind lodging FIR against the Gujjar family.
“They say they have arrested some people but I am told police have not registered cases of attempt to murder against them,” Mian Altaf said. “I first want action against the cops who were watching the mayhem. They were acting like spectators. It was heart wrenching to see the goons attacking the family with rods, beating an old man as his daughter was crying and begging. Had it happened in Kashmir, police would have killed all of them and accused them of being terrorists,” Mian Altaf said. “This is how you are maintaining two standards for two places – one in Kashmir and another in Jammu,” he said.
Hitting out at the PDP, Mian Altaf wondered that the party which came to power on the plank of scrapping Task Force and ending atrocities of the police and security forces became perpetrator itself, which was evident by the prevailing grim scenario across the state, especially in the valley. He said the PDP and BJP were superintending terror against their own people to satiate the agenda of New Delhi. “The present coalition is deliberately disturbing the situation so that the people are subjected to harassment and humiliation. The primary objective of the PDP-BJP is to remain glued to power, whatever the costs,” he added.
Mian Altaf said the BJP was hugely using the PDP to extend its agenda in Jammu and Kashmir, which was manifesting in atrocities on the people. He referred to most scary situation in the valley and said now students were being targeted brutally. “The atrocities on the innocent people are unprecedented,” he added.
Replying to the question of reporters, former Deputy Chairman and MLA Mendhar Javed Rana described the PDP as an offshoot of the RSS that had been created years ago to do what they were doing currently in Kashmir and Jammu. He said the PDP had become a willing facilitator to target a section of society to satiate the overall agenda of the RSS.
Rana expressed anguish over the Reasi incident and said this was part of targetting the minorities, who were already at the receiving end by way of being uprooted from their dwelling places. He said the BJP was dividing the people and trampling the glorious ethos of Hindu, Muslim, Sikh unity.
Javed Rana also condemned the brutal use of force on innocent students in the Kashmir valley and cautioned that this would further alienate the people from mainstream. “If the coalition continues with its anti-people agenda, the consequences will be disastrous,” he added.
Provincial president Devender Singh Rana was also present in the press conference. He said National Conference would continue to espouse the cause of the people living in three regions of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. He said the party would stand for strengthening the bonds of amity between Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and Buddhists.
“NC is committed to fight divisive forces,” Devender Singh Rana added.