Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Apr 26: Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin today urged Kashmiri youth to desist from stone-pelting on security forces, saying it won’t yield anything for them.
“I am totally against it (stone-pelting). God has bestowed you with youth but you are ruining it by pelting stones. What will you achieve? You will pelt for one year, two years, what will happen afterwards? You should use your youth for something good, nurture your talent and get education as it will show you what is right and what is wrong,” he told reporters at Baramulla district in north Kashmir.
Azharuddin and actor Dia Mirza were in North Kashmir’s Baramulla town in connection with a two-day youth festival Jashn-e-Baramulla, organised by army, which concluded today. He in his message to youth said that when they do not read, people can guide them to a wrong path. “I will not go such deep as I do not know who guides them but there should be proper guidance of the children. Stone-pelting will not benefit the youth here. Kashmir can move so forward that I cannot tell you if you focus on positives,” the former Indian cricket team captain said.
Praising Indian army, Azharuddin said the army is making tremendous efforts for engaging the youth. “No one can make more such efforts. Army does not want to harm anyone. Their job is to protect everyone, the whole of India. We should appreciate the army for their work in such tough conditions,” he said, adding that the effort here (in Baramulla) is historic. “I want the army to organize such events everywhere,” he said.
Pitching for a political initiative in Kashmir, the former Indian cricketer said if political initiative is not taken “then you have to continue to face such problems”. “If you take the army’s budget, if that can be spent on something else when there is no violence, it will do wonders. “If the situation is bad, then tourists will dread from coming here.
“Otherwise, Kashmir is so beautiful that people do not have to go anywhere else. We have to understand each other’s problems and work together,” he added.
Azharuddin, also a politician, said Kashmir people should ‘move on’ in their lives. “People here should try to move forward in life. See, nothing can be solved by violence. I do not have firsthand information, just read about it, but I want the youth here to work together as then only will there be good work. However, if you get divided or keep fighting, then there is no end,” he said. He cited the example of Pervez Rasool and said: “The start has been made by Pervez Rasool. I want other youth to join in. If you play well, then no one can stop you. Even if I want to stop you, I cannot.
In reply to a question with regard to stereotyping of Kashmiri youth, Azharuddin said he can see that people in Kashmir are well educated. “There should not be stereotyping. People here are talented in every field but the need is to give them right direction. The youth here should also know what is right and what is wrong. Earning money through wrong ways is of no use. “It remains with you for some time but then what will happen is that there would be violence and you will have problems, your state will have problems. Then a headline will be there that there is problem in Kashmir. You should be positive. The media here also should show positive about Kashmir. Do not show negative because that will only take you further down,” he said.
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