Joint Resistance Leadership comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik called for a complete shutdown on August 15 and urged people to observe the day as black day to protest New Delhi's open agression in Kashmir.
The Leadership said while on one hand India will celebrate its Independence Day on August 15 , the military might and oppression will be again on a display in Kashmir where genuine rights of people are being trempled , actually punctures the hollow claims of India being world's largest democracy. The Leadership said that killing innocent people, maiming youth and vandalising properties doesn't suit a nation celebrating its Independence. The Leadership said that Delhi through its lakhs of forces is muzzling the voices of freedom in Kashmir and people especially young lot is being selectively killed every alternate day.
This all is done to strengthen the grip of occupation on Kashmir. The leadership said that on August 15 resistance leadership will be either caged or placed in various jails in a bid to crush the dissent and entire valley will be turned into a military fortress for the day and people's right to live too will be snatched which will be the worst form of State terrorism.
The Leadership said that the present leaders at New Delhi have completely forgotten that none other than their former prime minister Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru had promised at the historic Lal Chowk of Srinagar that people of Kashmir will be provided with the right to self determination.
But, the Leadership said, the present dispensation at Delhi is , neck deep in the lust of power and military might, that it only knows the policy of repression to be followed in Kashmir under which Kashmiris are butchered like animals and the all the principles of humanity thrown to the wind.
The Leadership said that while on the one hand, entire Kashmir has been converted into a battlefield with huge deployment of forces everywhere, arrest spree and crackdowns are at its peak in run up to the August 15 and on the other, deputy commissioners along with the respective municipalities are asking students of private and government schools and their parents and government employees to attend August 15 function in their respective area's which reflects the frustration on part of the State administration.
The Leadership said that issuing diktats and forcibly asking students and government employees to attend August 15 function is ample proof that Delhi and its local supporters have failed in Kashmir despite unleashing ultimate repression. The Leadership said Delhi has failed to break the resolve of freedom loving people of Kashmir which is a bitter truth as being witnessed from the dictatorial orders of administration to ensure presence of a handful of people at venues for August 15 functions across the valley.
The Leadership said India is trying to hide the reality from the world community by downplaying the people's anger and resentmemt against the illegitimate rule of Delhi. They said Delhi won't succeed in its nefarious designs and can't keep the world community in dark for long as it should read the writing on the wall that one day it has to bow before the will of people of Kashmir who are rock solid towards their mission of right to self determination. The Leadership said it's high time for Delhi to take concrete steps to resolve the vexed issue of Kashmir for the larger interests of people of sub continent.