The three top separatist leaders, Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik today described the Union Home Ministry’s decision to stop anti-militancy operations in the state during the holy month of Ramadan, as “cosmetic measure.”
The militant outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba has already rejected the Central government’s announcement.
The three leaders, who have come together in a rare show of solidarity during 2016 unrest, forming Joint Resistance leadership (JRL), met at the Geelani’s Hyderpora residence here and described the government’s announcement as "Operation halt."
“The operation halt is a cruel joke with the freedom loving people of Kashmir”, a statement issued by the JRL after the meeting, said.
“People of Kashmir are engaged in a legitimate movement for the right to self-determination. People of Kashmir are peace loving and believe in permanent peace rather than a relaxation in killing for one month. People want a permanent halt on war thrust by India”, they said.
The government sharply reacted to the statement. “This is a unilateral ceasefire and government stands by it. We want relief for the people, which obviously those elements who don’t want people should get respite, are opposing it”, the government spokesman, Naeem Akhtar, said.
“Cessation of hostilities even for a minute can neither be cruel nor be a joke in a place where bloodshed and brutalization of youth is a serious concern. They (separatists) must take steps to help make ceasefire a permanent feature rather than dismiss it as non-event”, Akhtar said
However, separatists said so-called “operation halt” is a ploy to hoodwink the public opinion at both national and international level.
The ceasefire announcement came days after All-Party Meeting headed by Mehbooba Mufti on May 9 that urged New Delhi to announce ceasefire during Ramadan and Amarnath Yatra. After chairing the four-hour meeting last week, the Chief Minister had said the parties were of unanimous view about a unilateral ceasefire soon.
In reaction to the LeT’s statement, the state government said, “this is the recipe of disaster they (LeT) are continuing with after they have destroyed Pakistan.”
“It is ironical that their leader is seeking to enter the political process in Pakistan now after realizing the futility of the gun but doesn’t allow the same principle to operate in Kashmir”, Akhtar said.
“We are for political process and resolution and we believe the announcement of the Ramzan ceasefire is a big moment that should be ceased by everyone if they are honest and sincere in their intentions”, he added.
In November 2000, the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had declared a unilateral ceasefire in Kashmir for the holy month of Ramdhan. The ceasefire was extended for five more months before being brought to a close on May 23, 2001.
“The declaration of one month's truce and sticking to a loud denial to solve the Kashmir dispute is a mere hypocrisy. It is highly illogical and unfortunate to offer relaxations in killings for one month and then restart it with impunity”, the separatists said.
As the Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting the State on Saturday to inaugurate a ropeway to Vaishno Devi hill shrine, and to finally inaugurate strategically important 330 MW Kishanganga Hydropower project, the separatists have called for peoples march against the visit.
The separatist leaders asked people to “make Lal Chowk chaloo(march)” a grand success in order to send a clear message to the “Indian authorities that the people of Kashmir will never compromise less than their right to self-determination.”
The separatists asked people to “shut all the business shops and offices” on the Prime Minister’s visit on 19 May 2018.
