Srinagar: Engineer Rasheed led AIP Monday organized a march in Kashmir capital Srinagar on Monday against failures of the government to provide basic immunities to people and against “state suppression”.
Holding banners and play cards and chanting forceful slogans protesters started the march from Magarmal Bagh and proceeded towards civil secretariat. However, a large contingent of police interrupted the procession at the outskirts of the civil secretariat.
While talking to the media before being stopped party president Er Rasheed while condemning arrest spree in every nook and corner sought immediate release of political prisoners including Yaseen Malik, Nayeem Khan, Shabir Shah, Ayaz Akbar, Altaf Fantosh, Asiya Indrabi, Zahoor Watali, Fayaz Hamid, Mushtaq Veeri, Qasim Faktoo, Masrat Alam, Sarjan Barkati and others.
Er Rasheed said, “Every Kashmiri lodged in various jails is a political prisoner and not a criminal.
“Delhi should stop state terrorism and must agree to an honorable settlement to Kashmir dispute in accordance with the wishes and sacrifices of people of J&K. All these suppressive measures are an attempt to muzzle the voice of majority community in the state and dislodge local officers in police and civil administration, but are bound to fail,” said Er Rasheed.
“Government must restore the dignity and rights of local officers who have become like aliens in police and civil administration,” he said.
While seeking the immediate arrest of those in uniform involved in Rizwan Pandit’s brutal murder Er Rasheed said that neither national media nor human rights organizations are showing any interest in exposing the white collar killers who are roaming free and pretending to be Priests.
Seeking an end to the practice of so-called Darbar move Er Rasheed said if states like UP, Bihar and Bengal can have one capital, what is the fun of spending huge money every year on Darbar move, wasting precious time of masses and bringing even the nominal governance to a halt.
Er Rasheed said, “The huge amount being spent every year on Darbar move if is utilized to provide better connectivity by providing tunnels on Kishtawar-Sinthan road and Mughal road, the state will truly become one unit and Srinagar can be made the permanent capital. The government can also connect Tangmarg-Poonch and Mahoo Mangat-Banihal areas to end the barriers between Jammu & Kashmir. The issue needs not to be seen through regional or religious angle but to ensure the best governance and save resources and time of people of the state it is in the interests of everyone to make Srinagar the permanent capital.”
Urging bureaucrats not to forget that they are government servants Er Rasheed appealed for restoring the basic immunities like power, drinking water and roads without excuses.
He said, “While bureaucrats and politicians are enjoying every facility in most of the schools of the remote area are without adequate staff, hospitals lack doctors and most of the offices have become the hub of corruption as there is no accountability whatsoever.” (CNS)
