Lawyers’ action part of ‘ulterior motive’: Joint Hurriyat

Srinagar, Apr 10: Joint Hurriyat comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik Tuesday described the attempt of Kathua Bar Association and certain political parties of Jammu to prevent Crime Branch from filing charge sheet in the rape and murder of eight year old girl child Asifa as shocking and morally bankrupt.
“There will be hardly any place in the world where efforts will be made by section of people to shield the culprits involved in a child’s rape and murder unless there is a heinous ulterior motive involved,” the joint Hurriyat said.
The leadership said that it seemed it was the motive of “intimidation and displacement of the Gujjar community from their land which is driving these people to such shameless and highly condemnable actions”.
“These lawyers by creating hurdles in filing the charge sheet against the culprits is a violation of all basic principles of law, justice and humanity, which has left a big question mark on their credibility and the protest by them clearly indicates that these lawyers are working under political pressure and an agenda,” the leadership said.
“This act has also taken lid off the lid of their anti-Muslim mindset against the Muslims of Jammu and Chenab region,” the trio said.
The leadership, while citing the case of Nirbhaya rape and murder that shook India in December 2016, stated that all political, religious and social organisations civil society activists rightly joined hands and spoke in one voice to ensure severe punishment to the culprits and justice for the victim.
“But in the case in Asifa, reverse is happening. Every effort is being made to shield and save the culprits by communalising this human issue of justice to a little child,” they said.
The leadership made it clear that whether it is the issue of justice for Asifa or any issue related to injustice or “harassment” of the people of Jammu, Chenab Valley, Rajouri and Poonch at the hands of “
“fanatic” elements who belong to a particular community, Kashmiri Leadership and the people of Kashmir will always stand by them and stand up for them.