Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, July 12: Day after meeting Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, the business community in Kashmir today condemned the civilian killings in security forces’ firing.
Addressing a press conference here, the Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) chairman, Muhammad Yasin Khan, said: “We protest these killings. They are condemnable. These boys were fighting for their rights. They were protesting against the fake encounter of Burhan Wani who is our child, darling of the people and who will remain the darling of the people till the world remains.”
Khan said security forces were firing on civilians “directly to kill them”, which was in contrast to when such type of protests happen in other parts of the country. “Our children pelt stones, but… forces fire directly to kill them, we protest against this oppression. If such protests happen in Haryana or Patel agitation (in Gujarat), why don’t they use such force there?” he said.
He said the representatives of the business community who met the Chief Minister yesterday, told her that the Centre should address the core issue.
“We told Mehbooba that the Government of India needs to address the core issue of Kashmir,” he said. Khan said they told the Chief Minister to resign if she could not “control the forces”.
“We told her that if they want to continue doing this and kill us, then assemble us at some place and them bomb it once for all. We told her to leave the chair if she has no control over the forces,” he said.
Meanwhile, Khan was manhandled by people at Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) for his meeting with Chief Minister, eyewitnesses said. “He was forced to leave the hospital amid shouts,” they said, adding that he left the venue in jiffy. A close aide of Yasin Khan however denied he was manhandled and said “there was only verbal brawl”.
In the meanwhile, another faction of Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) distanced itself from the meeting with Chief Minister and said they were not part of the delegation which called upon Mehbooba. “We stand with people and we will continue to be with them,” said Sadiq Baqal of Kashmir Traders and Manufactures’ Federation.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
