INDIAN ARMY EXPOSED BY SHIRMONI AKALI DAL

Shiromani Akali Dal, President Simranjit Singh Mann said that Indian troops in Jammu and Kashmir are an ‘occupying force’ and Akalis support the demand for right of self- determination in Kashmir. Addressing a press conference, Mann said that Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute after New Delhi took the issue to United Nations and the same later passed number of resolution for its resolution and after the then Prime Minister Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru promised plebiscite for Kashmir. He said that Kashmir issue is not a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan, as is claimed by New Delhi. The Akali leader showed his willingness for resolving the Kashmir issue as per the aspirations of people of Jammu and Kashmir.

He also held security forces responsible for the Chatisinghpora killings of Sikhs in 2000. He said that people belonging to minority community were targeted selectively to defame the genuine freedom movement of Kashmiris. “We are demanding a high level independent probe of the incident so that the real killers of the incident would get exposed and punished as per the law,” he said. Mann also said that Kashmiri have lost faith in Indian democratic system. There is a general impression among the masses that governments are been made by people in Delhi and there is no weight in their vote.

The Akali leader cited that there is a need of military rule in Jammu and Kashmir and Chief Minister has no powers to stop the growing human right violations. He said that Article 370 which gives special status to Jammu and Kashmir has been eroded and New Delhi has imposed its own laws in Kashmir. Lashing out at High Court and Supreme Court Judges for maintaining their silence on the grave human rights violation here, he said they have no more right to get huge salaries and not protecting the right to life and liberty of people (Article 21). “It is unethical to hide the grave human rights violations in Kashmir,” he said.