Kashmiris Aren't Considered Human Beings, Say Separatists In Response To Rawat's Remark

Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat’s statement that “it would have been easier for the armed forces if the protesters were firing weapons instead of throwing stones” is seen as a grave provocation by the separatists.

READ ALSO: General Bipin Rawat Says 'Dirty War' In Kashmir Has To Be Fought With 'Innovative Ways'

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman of the moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference, said statements coming out of New Delhi show that the government of India has decided to openly admit that it has handed over Kashmir and the people of Kashmir to its army.

“It indicates the army has been granted absolute authority, to deal with Kashmiris, with the sole objective that Kashmir remains part of India no matter if all Kashmiris have to be repressed, killed or humiliated for it,” Mirwaiz said in a statement in Srinagar.

He said earlier defence minister Arun Jaitley’s strongly defended the action of Major Leetul Gogoi, who tied a civilian to a jeep, and now repeated “anti-Kashmiri statements” issued by the army chief of India have one aim to “instill fear in our hearts”.

But, Mirwaiz said if Kashmir dispute could not be resolved through a military solution in past 70 years, through wars and repression of Kashmiris, how the same means would produce different result now.   

“How can it produce a different result now, when the next generation of Kashmiris raised under occupation is all the more determined to achieve their fundamental right to exercise their will,” he asked.

“The level of arrogance of power and contempt exhibited towards the people of Kashmir, through such insensitive statements, no longer shocks people of Kashmir. We have come to realise that we are no longer considered human beings by the Indian state and New Delhi is only interested in a military solution to a political and human issue,” Mirwaiz said.

Pro-independence, Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik said intimidations, threats, arrests and other means of oppression “can not deter us from perusing path of resistance against illegal occupation”.

Junaid Azim Mattu, National Conference spokesman, ‏tweeted:  “Rather than Delhi reaching out to alienated youth in Kashmir, we have an Army Chief daring them to use guns instead of stones. Shocking!”

“Can't be a stronger reason for @MehboobaMufti to resign - the Army Chief has declared Army Rule in Kashmir and proved she is a mere buffer”, reads his another tweet.