Dal Khalsa pays tribute to Maqbool Bhat, Afzal Guru | KNO

Kashmir News Observer (KNO)

Amritsar, February 08 (KNO) : Dal Khalsa on Friday paid tributes to Maqbool Bhat and Afzal Guru on their anniversary that falls on 9th and 11th of Feb, saying that they sacrificed their lives to ensure the people of Kashmir get freedom from India. Party leader Harpal Singh Cheema and Kanwarpal Singh in a statement issued to KNO said the India hanged Bhatt on 9th Feb in 1984 and set is soul free, which through multiple mouths was shouting for Kashmir's Azaadi. Highly critical of the secret execution of Afzal Guru, the Sikh organization said the “hanging of Guru was a purely political decision taken by then Indian government to appease the majority community and consolidate their vote-bank.” Criticizing India for “its arrogant attitude” towards struggling peoples and nationalities, they said like in Afzal Guru Case, the state has not returned the mortal remains of Bhat. "This deprived both the families of their right to perform last rites of their kin as per their faith and beliefs. This is worst kind of human rights violations," they said. Praising Bhat's mother Bibi Shahmala for sacrificing her four sons for Kashmir cause, they termed her 'courageous lady' with whom they met in Trehgam few years ago. “We admire her dedication, spirit and affection towards the martyrs of faith, because it’s rare to see,” they said. Expressing solidarity with struggling people of Kashmir, they urged representative organizations from Kashmir and Punjab to strengthen coordination among them against New Delhi.(KNO)