Yasin Malik’s case must be reviewed, reconsidered: Mehbooba; Sajad Lone says NIA plea ‘dangerous’
Srinagar, May 27 (PTI) Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday called for a review of JKLF chief Yasin Malik’s case, while People’s Conference chief Sajad Lone termed NIA’s plea seeking death penalty for the separatist leader as “dangerous”.
However, Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari said deterrent measures should be taken against those trying to threaten the country’s security.
The reactions came after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday approached the Delhi High Court seeking the death penalty for Malik, asserting that not giving capital punishment to such a “dreaded terrorist” will result in the miscarriage of justice. The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief was awarded a life term by a trial court in a terror funding case last year.
Mehbooba said Malik’s case must be reviewed and reconsidered as in a democracy like India even the assassins of a prime minister were pardoned.
She also lashed out at Bukhari — her former party and cabinet colleague — saying those gleefully supporting Malik’s hanging were a grave threat to “our collective rights”.
“In a democracy like India where even the assassins of a PM were pardoned, the case of a political prisoner like Yasin Malik must be reviewed and reconsidered. The new political ikhwan gleefully supporting his hanging are a grave threat to our collective rights,” the PDP chief said on Twitter.
Bukhari said the NIA’s plea demanding the death penalty for Malik highlights the urgency to address militant funding in Jammu and Kashmir.
“We must ensure justice prevails and deterrent measures should be taken against those who are trying to threaten our nation’s security,” he said.
People’s Conference chairman Lone said the NIA’s plea was dangerous.
“NIA plea on Yasin Malik is dangerous. It is a humble plea. Let you not be misled by fair weather Kashmir experts. Please every situation has a short term and a long term. Let the short term enforced calm not blind you to the possible long term turbulence,” Lone said on Twitter.
He also posed questions on “who created” Malik.
“What about those who rigged elections held under Indian Constitution (1987) and jailed political workers, tortured them, tortured their families. And didn’t rest until they ensured that they push them to the wall to an extent where they pick up arms.
“I don’t condone taking up arms. But can’t we condemn those who forced arms on to a young person. Are those rigged 1987 elections and in process created hundreds and thousands of Yasin immune to prosecution,” he said.
The former minister asked whether those who “filled graveyards” post 1987 are outside the ambit of law.
“Is it always the poor man’s son who has to face the law, who has to face the gallows. We have been hearing threatening noises from the last nine years. Threatened to take action. Yet no action. Action will never be taken against them. Only threaten to take action,” Lone said.
He said there should be no more experiments and let Kashmiri people live in peace.
“We need oxygen from the rest of the country as we are gasping for political breath. We cannot afford Kashmir being the oxygen for the political landscape in the rest of the country. Reminds me of Afzal Guroo and Congress’s hurry to execute him,” he said, referring to the iament attack convict who was hanged in Tihar Jail in 2013.
