Srinagar: Senior vice Chairman Jammu and Kashmir National Front Altaf Hussain Wani while condemning in strong terms the use of brute force on Muharram processions in occupied Kashmir by the Indian troops has said preventing people from exercising their religion constitutes an interference with the right to freedom of religion.
In a statement issued from Islamabad here on Sunday Wani said that the Indian state that projects itself as the world’s largest democracy has a worst track record of imposing restrictions on religious freedoms. “On Muharum mourners in Kashmir are being roughed up by police, arrested and detained on trumped-up charges”, he said adding that the people participating in processions were being subjected to brute force. Terming it as a violation of the fundamental rights of the people he said that these incidents of violence speak volumes about the subjugation of religious beliefs and massive violations of people’s right to freedom of religion in the region.
Wani also expressed his serious concern over the continued bloodshed in the region saying that India was carrying out a systematic genocide in Kashmir. Referring to seven youth martyred by Indian troops during cordon and search operations in Shopian and Pulwama districts he said, “Killing innocent civilians, maiming and mutilating dead bodies to instill a sense of fear in the society are the common patterns of genocide being practiced by the Indian forces”.
Expressing solidarity with the victims of Indian state terrorism, he maintained that the Indian state terrorism would not deter Kashmiris from pursuing their long cherished goal for which they have offered unprecedented sacrifices.
