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- Published: May 21, 2021 20:21
New Delhi: Till 1-2 years ago, May 21 was never such a silent affair in Jammu and Kashmir. It was a day when the separatists would give bandh call a day before and would take the city to ransom by blocking everything, including the essential services.
Separatists held organized protests while their followers pelted stones at security personnel while at some isolated places, Pakistani flags would show up. Such protests were mainly organized and fanned by hardliners and separatists like Syed Ali Geelani group, Mirwaiz umar Farooq group , Aisya Andrabi group.
However, things are completely different today, the ground reality has changed post Narendra Modi govt took over, especially Modi 2.0.
Today, the separatist leaders can’t muster courage to block roads and streets for their vested agenda. Modi govt’s hard stance on ‘anti-national’ and agenda-based protests has unnerved them. A couple of them are languishing in jails owing to serious charges against them.
Separatists in Jammu and Kashmir are also maintaining a low profile after a series of raids by the Income Tax Department, the National Investigation Agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate.
The agencies have questioned their funding pattern and even booked several second-rung leaders for indulging in anti-India activities.
Pak’s attempts to foment trouble blocked
One nation that is really worried over Kashmir silence is neighbor Pakistan, which doesn’t lose a chance to sent terrorists across the border to create unrest.
In fact, peeved over silence of leaders of J&K separatist groups, their factions in Pakistan and in occupied-Kashmir (PoK) made desperate attempts yesterday to foment trouble in valley, by giving calls from across the border for ‘bandhs’ and strikes to mark the death anniversary of Mirwaiz Maulvi Mohammad Farooq Shah and Abdul Gani Lone.
Mirwaiz Farooq, Abdul Gani Lone killed for opposing Pak design
May 21 marks the death anniversary of both the leaders.
Farooq and Lone were killed by Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists in 1990 and 2002 for opposing growing gun culture in the Kashmir Valley. They were both considered advocates of finding a lasting solution through peaceful means.
Mirwaiz Farooq was shot dead by three terrorists on May 21, 1990, and it was conspired by then so-called commander of banned Hizbul Mujahideen Abdualla Bangroo.
Abdul Gani Lone was shot dead on the same day in 2002 at an Eidgah when he was on his way to pay homage to Farooq Mirwaiz.
What these two killings had in common was that both these leaders wanted Pakistan to stop aiding terror groups in the Valley.