Pages

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

63 Black Day in 63 years in disputed Jammu and Kashmir

Kashmiris resist Indian flag hoisting in Srinagar
Why Kashmiris hate India?
Srinagar/Jammu, Jan 26: For sixty years we have all heard the rhetoric that Kashmir is an integral part of India–yet six decades later, hoisting the Indian flag on government buildings in Kashmir is tantamount to igniting the Chanars on fire. Even the  Chief Minister who is a stooge of Congress and has no following in Kashmir is telling the BJP not to hoist the Indian flags on government buildings in Kashmir. Every year on 26th January and 15th August, separatists burn Indian flags and unfurl the Pakistan flag. Today in Pampore,Tral, Pulwama, Sopore, Baramulla thhe green flags of Pakistan were hoisted in various areas of Kashmir on the Independence Day of India

The BJP is bent upon putting the flags up–probably tired of watching the entire valley put of Pakistani flags on August 14th (Pakistan‘s independence day) and black flags on August 15th (Bharat’s independence Day).

Responding to reports that Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had expressed his reservations about the BJP’s announcement of hoisting the national flag at Lal Chowk, Rajya Sabha MP Chandan Mitra reiterated that the flag would definitely be hoisted.

“He [Mr. Abdullah] must clarify whether or not he, as Chief Minister, will hoist the national flag on Republic Day. Separatist leaders will also have to declare which flag will be hoisted if it is not the national flag. Every last worker of the BJP will strive to hoist the national flag there,” Mr. Mitra said. The Hindu

The Nation is reporting that the Mr. Abdullah is “Blaming BJP for creating controversies and disturbing tranquility in the Indian Held Kashmir“. News reprots are indicating that Mr. Omar Abdullah “asked the party not to go ahead with its plan to hoist the Indian flag in Srinagar on January 26.”

Indian media is reporting that “BJP has defended flag hoisting at Lal Chowk by saying that Kashmir is India’s integral part.” Mr. Abdullah is running scared. “When Kashmir is now quiet, they (BJP) want to set it on fire again”.

The BJP has made it a trait to ignite fire for political mileage. “The Indian flag will be hoisted at all the district headquarters, government buildings, police and army establishments besides at Bakshi Stadium in the heart of Srinagar city by a Minister. Does BJP consider all this irrelevant and hoisting of flag by any individual of their party at Lal Chowk, a relevant one?” he questioned.

The Chief Minister of  Kashmir told reporters this would put the valley on fire. “If their aim is to set Kashmir afire, please tell them to stop. If there are repercussions, I will hold them personally responsible. They should not hold me responsible if there is a fallout of that in Kashmir. They will have to come and sort it out. They shall not hold me responsible”, Omar said.

The extremist BJP defended the party’s decision to hold Indian flag in Srinagar. The Hindu Mahasabah is adamant on the flag issue and may succeed in creating turmoil and reigniting the valley.

“BJP maintains that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. Our youth wing has planned our own programme as a part of our national sovereignty, national solidarity campaign from West Bengal to Kashmir. I think it is a welcome program. We are marching with the national flag not in only one state but several states of the country, why should anybody object to this campaign of national solidarity and national sovereignty,” BJP leader Arun Jaitley-Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and senior  said.

In a state where the Pakistani flag is waived by the people very often, it is strange to hear that waving the Indian flag is an anomoly and would set the valley on fire. The Pakistani flag is banned in Kashmir. It is a crime to hosit the Pakistani flag–however during protests the Pakistani flag is ubiquitous. The Kashmiri flag is the Pakistani Crescent and Star without the white stripe. The Kashmiris get around the ban on the Pakistani flag by waving the Crescent and Star on a green background–claiming that it is a Kashmiri flag–thus getting around the ban on the Pakistani flag.

Sheikh Yaqoob, Chairman Jammu and Kashmir People's  League (JKPL), denounced Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) fanatics for their decision to hoist Indian flag at Lal Chowk Srinagar on January 26, terming it India's frustration and political defeat in Kashmir.
In a statement, he said that a two-third area of Jammu and Kashmir was under India's illegal military occupation since 1947, and now communalists of the Hindu organization wanted to gain political leverage in Delhi by such a senseless step in Srinagar, which could not be carried out without imposing curfew in Srinagar on the Black Day.

"The popular movement of freedom for Jammu and Kashmir will not kneel down by this threat or political gimmick," he said.
Commenting upon the statements and counter-statements of India's Secretary Home G. K. Pillai and General V. K Singh the Indian army chief on the reduction of Indian regular armed forces in Jammu and Kashmir, Rehmani said that ultimately army chief's word would carry weight as the Indian Army had unbridled powers in Jammu and Kashmir under the Disturbed Areas Act and the Armed Forces Special Powers Act; and have had gained all the personal and strategic dividends by using these repressive laws against the people of Kashmir during the last 20 years, although an overwhelming majority of the Kashmiris were against Indian rule, and their inhuman and draconian laws in Kashmir.

Meanwhile, Government of Jammu and Kashmir  on Sunday jammed the landline,mobile phone networks and internet broadband connections. Subscribers were unable to make or receive any calls while internet remained down till late in the afternoon.