Dal Khalsa hits out at Capt. Amarinder for advocating free-hand to armed forces in Kashmir

Amritsar: Joining issue with the Punjab Congress chief Captain Amrinder Singh, the Dal Khalsa today hits out at him for advocating free hand to armed forces in Kashmir and accused him of ill-equipped about historical facts of Kashmir dispute.

Party head Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema said the statement of Captain shows he has scant respect for human rights of Kashmiri people.

He strongly objected to the contents of his write-up in which Amrinder Singh has urged the Government of India to allow full freedom of action to the army in Kashmir and in the ensuing action, if people die then so be it.

Putting the record straight, he said Captain should know that the armed forces were not killing the militants alone in the valley. In the last two weeks, 50 protesters and innocent civilians have been fallen to bullets of armed forces and above 4000 were badly injured.

Terming Captain’s viewpoint objectionable fraught with danger, he said the security forces with unbridled powers were law unto themselves.

He said the charged atmosphere in Kashmir was reminiscent of happenings in Punjab before and after 1984 period.

Raising serious doubts on Captain’s move and intention to resign protesting the “army invasion on Darbar Sahib” in June 1984, he said it’s really astonishing to know the same person siding with the army soldiers, which are allegedly being held responsible for committing atrocities and taking lives of innocent civilians and protesters in Kashmir.

“Did you play politics then (1984) or are you playing politics now”, he asked erstwhile maharaja.

He said the people of Kashmir have made ample clear again and again that they want Azadi from India. He said being a seasoned politician Captain must know that no democracy can thrive through terror and domination. He said they firmly believe that the use of state’s brute force as suggested by Captain Amrinder to suppress people’s genuine political aspirations would never yield results rather it would prove to be counter-productive.

He termed the use of pellet guns as a grave crime committed by security forces and expressed his dismay over the innocent children getting rendered blind by pellet bullets.