New Delhi: Facing criticism from social media and political quarters for holding a ‘Free Kashmir’ poster during a protest against violence at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Mehak Prabhu, a Mumbai-based storyteller, on Tuesday clarified that she meant to highlight the restrictions imposed in Jammu and Kashmir and wishes to see peace in the region, adding she had no other motive behind her actions.
In a video message posted on Facebook, Mehak called the reactions crazy and said she was only speaking for the rights of Kashmiris. “At around 7 pm yesterday, I reached where the protest was happening at the Gateway of India. Like anybody else who believes in democracy, I also joined that protest. We were standing for justice to the JNU students,”
Video posted by Mehak on FaceBook:
“I saw a bunch of people who were painting placards on every issue like NRC, CAA and for JNU students. There was a placard lying on the side which said ‘Free Kashmir’. The first thing which came to my mind when I saw that placard was about the basic constitutional rights of Kashmiris,” she said.
Prabhu also said that she was not a Kashmiri and was brought up in Mumbai. She outlined that she was standing with a flower in her hand and asserted that the entire matter was “completely blown out of proportion”.
Video footage from yesterday’s protest:
“I was quietly standing with a flower in my hand. This means we need to make peace together. That was my only intention in holding that placard. The narrative that has been put out is absolutely wrong,” she said, describing the reactions to the matter was “crazy”.
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Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said if anyone talks of “freedom of Kashmir from India” then it will not be tolerated. Being asked about ‘Free Kashmir’ poster seen here at the Gateway of India during a protest against JNU violence, Raut told media, “If anyone talks of freedom of Kashmir from India then it will not be tolerated.”
Mehak Mirza on FaceBook said:
“The picture created by entire social media came as an absolute shock to me. Placard meant freedom to express themselves, freedom from the internet lockdown which many people have been voicing for. I was voicing my solidarity for basic constitutional right,” Mehak Mirza Prabhu wrote on Facebook.
The Mumbai-based storyteller underlined that the incident is scary and urged the people to spread the words of what she said and not hatred.
“The way it has gone, it is very scary. I am a simple person. As a woman, it is very scary for my safety right now. Spread this side of my story and let’s stop it here. Let us not spread the hate. It has happened to me, it can happen to anyone. We should not live in fear,” Prabhu further said.
