Srinagar, January 18 (KNO) : Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Muhammad Umer Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik on Friday termed massacres in Kashmir as reminder of occupation and called for a complete shutdown at Gaw-Kadal, Basant Bagh, Kani-Kadal, Chota-Bazaar, Budshah chowk and its adjacent areas on 21st January.
In a statement issued to KNO, JRL also called for a complete shutdown in Handwara town on 25th January and Kupwara town on 27thJanuary respectively. “The congregational prayers meetings will be also held on 21st January at Gaw-Kadal and on 25th January and 27thJanuary at Handwara and Kupwara towns respectively,” JRL said
Terming the massacres at Gaw-Kadal, Handwara and Kupwara in 1990 as ‘a reminder of Indian occupation and oppression’, JRL said that “to strengthen its occupation on Jammu Kashmir, India started its killing spree from Gaw-Kadal when on 21st January 1990; its forces opened their guns on peaceful protesters and callously murdered more than 50 innocents within an hour.”
“On that fatal day, a crackdown was held at Chota-bazaar, Kani-kadal areas where thousands of men women, children and elderly were subjected to severe torture, torment and humiliation,” they said.
“People from Kursoo Rajbagh to Rawalpora and Kani-kadal to Lal chowk came out on streets against this military crackdown and this people’s protest was showered with bullets near Gaw-Kadal killing many innocents instantly,” JRL said, adding that this massacre was followed by carnages at Handwara and Kupwara where hundreds of Kashmiris were gunned down by police and forces with impunity.
“United India during its struggle for freedom against British witnessed only one Jalianwala Bagh but Kashmiris have witnessed dozens of such massacres carried out by Indian forces from 1990 and this slaughter is still going on unabated,” they said.
JRL said that the sole aim of India is to terrorize people of Kashmir through these massacres and put an end to the resistance movement but India failed to do so in past and will fail to do so in future too. “In 1990, people of Jammu Kashmir started a people’s revolt against occupation and to crush this people’s resistance, at the orders of Indian political leadership, Army and forces started its killing machine and massacred thousands of people in cold blood and this carnage is still going unabated,” JRL said.
“The nation of Kashmir is indebted to martyrs who laid down their lives for freedom and resistance leadership pledges to continue this struggle till the achievement of the sacred goal. Days like 21st, 25th and 27th January 1990 remind us of the sacrifices rendered by our dear ones. These are the days for reiteration of our commitment towards the sacred mission and today while recalling these great sacrifices we reiterate our pledge to take forward the task of martyrs till the achievement of the desired goal,” JRL said.
Calling for a complete protest shutdown on Monday 21st January 2019 (Gaw-Kadal Massacre day) at Gaw-Kadal, Budshah Chowk, Maisuma, Basant Bagh, Burbarshah, Red-cross road, Koker-Bazaar, Kani Kadal, ChotaBazar and adjacent areas, on Friday, 25th January 2019 in Handwara town and on Sunday 27th January 2019 in Kupwara town, JRL said that “people of these areas will recall the sacrifices of great martyrs and protest against the occupation.”
“Moreover to honor Gaw-Kadal, Handwara and Kupwara Martyrs, public meetings on local level will also be held at Gaw-Kadal, Handwara and Kupwara in which JRL leaders and activists along with common people will participate and pay homage to great martyrs,” JRL said.(KNO)