‘Inquiries have neither delivered justice nor stopped killings’
‘Delhi should do some soul-searching’
Srinagar: Condemning the killing of civilians in Shopian, PDP leader and MLC Zaffar Iqbal Manhas has said such recurrent incidents should force the powers-that-be to do some soul-searching and face the reality that Jammu & Kashmir is an issue which calls for solution to prevent further loss of lives.
Expressing anguish over the recent spurt of civilian killings in Kashmir, Manhas said that the standard response by the main-stream politicians and fiery speeches and rhetoric by non-state politicians over the killings of young boys will lead us nowhere because such ‘stereotyped’ condemnations and inquiries have neither delivered justice nor stopped the killing cycle.
“These inquiries and assurances have not prevented devouring of young lives, the recurrent incidents should make the powers-that-be to do some soul-searching, shun ostrich-like self-delusions and face the reality that J&K is a political issue which has to be solved on a political table through dialogue with the people of the State,” Manhas said, adding that viewing the popular resentment in Kashmir through law and order prism has proved to be counter-productive and has further complicated the situation on the ground.
He said that no sane person will endorse or encourage the violence, however you can’t stop these unfortunate happenings merely through the barrel of the gun rather than winning the hearts and changing the minds and that there is no sincere political forward movement in the right earnest, though there is a lot of activity going on under one or the other banner.
Manhas said that the political and social sections of society should rise to the occasion and realize that a mob protest which results in consuming young lives has to be discouraged. “While protest and expression of dissent is a democratic right, yet our youth should not be allowed to become cannon fodder. We have to learn to live for the cause rather than dying for it as it effects none else but Kashmir and Kashmiris only,” he maintained.
He said that youth are our future and hope, they deserve security and education and these youngsters should not be sacrificed for political ideologies, he said.
(With inputs from KNS)
