Candle light procession in Bengaluru

Liberate PoK, Redeem Parliament vow?

By Somasekhar V K

A candle light procession was held by the Citizens for Democracy at the busy Mahatma Gandhi Statue in Bengaluru on February 22 with lots of youth participating in the hope to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The procession was organised to remind the Central Government of the unanimous resolution passed by both Houses of the Parliament on February 22, 1994 on Kashmir.

Sri V Nagaraj, popular social leader and thinker, explained the significance of the programme. He lamented the apathy of the Union Government to protect its own citizens and thereby denigrating Parliament resolution. He also spoke about Pakistan’s latest attempt to let China construct roads and railways in the territory that are in their possession illegally. This is a serious breach of security and strategic advantage to China and Pakistan in view of Gilgit-Baltistan being a critical position with disastrous consequences for us in the future. Therefore the Central Government must take note and act immediately before it is late.

Shri RK Mattoo, a very seasoned and reputed journalist who is also a victim of terrorism and is now in Bengaluru leaving all his property and people in Kashmir explained the mass human rights violations taking place in J&K and PoK and how they have been systematically targeted by terrorist groups. Stating that there are more than 20 lakh citizens displaced from Kashmir and are living in dilapidated conditions all around the country. He regretted that the Government that appeases a section of the community overboard has not bothered to protect the Hindus for their education and employment in Kashmir. He demanded justice for the suffering masses.

The day was historical in the annals of the Chapter on Kashmir when both Houses of Parliament unanimously passed the resolution in 1994 making it very clear that the entire State of Jammu & Kashmir belongs to India, and appealing to Pakistan to vacate our land that they have occupied and termed as “Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK).

He said 47 per cent of the youth in the country were in their teens and may not know the significance of it at that time due to the drudgery and skewed educational syllabus that we are teaching them?

Hence the Citizens for  Democracy has to be appreciated for igniting this spirit within our own people to the mechanisations of the Governments of China and Pakistan which want to expand their geographical boundaries by hook or crook in order to achieve their own ambitions.

In every war and attempt to fight India, Pakistan has been defeated and humiliated. We have shown the bravery of our soldiers at the war front. It is indeed very sad that we are unable to decide the issue politically though some attempts have been made by nationalist forces at some point of time.

We have the wherewithal and the ability to conquer from all fronts the enemies but if there are people within our own country who are treacherous than how can we succeed.  If we desire than the opportunity for diplomatic victory is also beckoning us but we are cursed with the wrong sort of people at the helm of affairs. Otherwise how can we allow our own people to be displaced and become “refugees” in our own land, he asked.

We have the strength, the ability, the courage, knowledge, skill and everything in our armory but we lack statesman and the leadership to take it forward. Let us all pray that this shortcoming is ractified and we get back what is our right, he added. ?