Srinagar, Feb 11: The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik has sent a memorandum to the United Nations Secretary General to “get the mortal remains of our martyrs, legendary Mohammad Maqbool Bhat and Mohammad Afzal Guru, to give them a dignified burial they deserve”.
JRL according to a statement issued said, “On behalf of the people of Jammu & Kashmir, we the under-signed convey the overwhelming desire of our people to get the mortal remains of our martyrs legendary Mohammad Maqbool Bhat and Mohammad Afzal Guru to give them a dignified burial they deserve.”
“The two prominent heroes of Kashmir freedom struggle were executed in the Tihar Jail of New-Delhi on February 11, 1984 and on February 9, 2013 respectively. Denying the legal right to their kith and kin to give them proper burial and funeral after execution the two were buried inside the premises of Tihar Jail. It is not only our assertion but the opinion of many human rights organizations, activists and justice loving people around the globe that both ideologues Mohammad Maqbool Bhat and Mohammad Afzal Guru’s execution was based on politically-motivated judgments and against all norms of justice and fairness. They were executed just to satisfy the collective conscience of the Indian society” rather than on the basis of concrete evidence or the principle of fair justice.”
Excellency, as the saying goes that “there is no crueller tyranny than that which is perpetuated under the shield of law and in the name of justice”, both were hanged under the same shield of law and in the name of justice, JRL said in the memorandum. “What could be crueller than even denying the legal right of their proper burial and funeral to their near and dear ones? Both being the prominent heroes of our freedom struggle, it has been the constant demand of the people of Jammu & Kashmir to get their mortal remains so that they are given an appropriate and dignified burial. The demand is completely genuine and in accordance with the principles of law and justice. However, the successive governments of India have rejected this demand and refused to return the mortal remains of the two martyrs to the people.”
Excellency, the people of Jammu & Kashmir are engaged in a struggle for the exercise of their right to self-determination that has been accrued to them through UN charter and various United Nations resolutions for the past seven decades and the government of India has been using all possible methods of suppression and coercion to silence the voice of the people, the memorandum said.
“9 and 11 February being the martyrdom anniversary of Mohammad Afzal Guru and Mohammad Maqbool Bhat respectively, we appeal your Excellency to effectively take up the issue with the government of India for the return of the mortal remains of both the martyrs to their kith and the people of Jammu & Kashmir. May we remind you that throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph,” JRL said.
