SYED ALI SAFVI
SRINAGAR, Dec 3: Beginning its “fact finding mission”, an 11-member parliamentary and civil society delegation led by Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) president, Ram Vilas Paswan, which arrived here today, met the family of Tufail Ahmad Matoo, 12, who was killed by a tear smoke shell fired by police on June 11 at Rajouri Kadal here. His killing triggered five-month long unrest that saw 112 youth being killed in police and CRPF action across the valley.
Terming Indian democratic system a “defunct system” and a “complete failure”, Tufail’s family told the delegation that New Delhi had “unleashed a rein of tyranny” in Kashmir in the name of democracy.
“Police killed my son in cold blood. When he was killed he had a five-rupee coin in his hand, not stones,” Mohammad Ashraf, Tufail’s father, told the delegation. “Hundreds of young boys were mercilessly killed and thousands are languishing behind bars. Is this what you call democracy? Shame on Indian democracy, and its leaders,”
Stating that Kashmiris were the most oppressed people in the world, Ashraf blamed prime minister, Manmoham Singh, and chief minister, Omar Abdullah, for the recent killings in the valley.
“The men in khaki killed our youth at will and with impunity,” he said.
Refusing ex gratia relief, the Matto family demanded stern action against those involved in the killing of Tufail.
“Money can not fill the vacuum left behind by Tufail’s death,” Ashraf said.
Pertinently, a 40-member strong all-party parliamentary delegation, led by Home Minister P. Chidambaram, had visited Kashmir in September to assess the ground situation in the valley, which was then reeling under unprecedented political unrest.
Significantly, Paswan, who was also part of the all-party parliamentary delegation, had expressed disappointment over appointment of "non-political" interlocutors on Kashmir.
The visit of parliamentary and civil society delegation is the brainchild of New Delhi-based Centre for Policy Analysis (CPA).
The delegation comprising Paswan and Shoaib Iqbal of LJP, Gopal Choudary of CPI-M, D Raja of CPI, Namo Nageshwar Rao of Telgu Desham Party, Danish Ali of Janta Dal (Secular), Maheshwar Hazari of Janta Dal (United), Shahid Siddiqui of Rashtriya Lok Dal (RJD), film maker Mahesh Bhatt, journalist Seema Mustafa and academician Prof Kamal Mitra Chenoy, is likely to meet chairmen Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Syed Ali Geelani, senior separatist leader, Shabir Ahmad Shah, mainstream politicians including chief minister, civil society groups, families of those killed in five-month long unrest.
"Kashmir is peaceful now. It does not mean that the problem is solved,” Paswan had said. “Our delegation is not an official one, but we will be meeting common people, youth and political leaders and create an atmosphere of peace."
CPI-M leader, D Raja, told reporters on the sidelines of the delegation’s visit to the Mattoo family that they would meet a cross section of society to grasp the ground situation.
“We are here on a fact finding mission and will listen to grief and grievances of people, and covey it to the people of India and also present a report to the government,” he said.
He said that the team would also asses the reaction of denizens of the valley to eight-point initiative announced by New Delhi for the state.
Earlier, the delegation, after arriving in Kashmir, drove straight to the Matto residence at Saida Kadal in old Srinagr city this afternoon.
Tufail’s father told the delegation that he and his family members were receiving threats from certain quarters to accept the ex gratia relief and stop pursuing the case.
“Several people from intelligence agencies have come to my house, asking us to stop pursuing the case,” he said.
Asking New Delhi to honour the commitment made by Jawaharlal Nehru to the people of Kashmir, Ashraf said, “Nehru’s soul must be restless. India has crushed Gandhi’s principles under its military boots.”
Later, the delegation met JKLF chairman, Yaseen Malik at Maisuma. After the photo op, media persons were asked to leave the meeting room by one of the members of the delegation, Seema Mustafa.
During the close-door meeting, Yaseen Malik, according to sources, told the delegation that he had urged the all-party parliamentary delegation to constitute a parliamentarian committee, comprising of all political parties, to hold talks with Kashmir separatists
He also assailed the appointment of three-member team of interlocutors on Jammu and Kashmir.
“Appointment of interlocutors was a big joke with the people of Kashmir,” he said.
The delegation, which is on three-day visit to Kashmir, would also meet youth and families of victims killed during the five-month unrest in the Valley.
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