The first ever Kashmir marathon ran literally into trouble towards the end of the 21-km race, when some youth raised Pakistani flags and Azadi slogans during prize distribution, resulting in clashes with the police. Worse, some women participants were jeered at and others teased and sexually harassed in the crowd at Hazratbal, with the police detaining 12 people for questioning and investigating the attempt to disrupt the event. The race began from Naseem Bagh in Kashmir University and went along the scenic Dal Lake and the Golf Course on a bright Sunday morning. The event organizer, a private FM radio channel, said in a statement that the aim of the marathon, in which professional runners from abroad were participating, was to promote healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about the need to protect Kashmir’s dying water bodies. The second anti-India rally was witnessed in a village in South Kashmir where Massive pro-freedom slogans were raised at the burial of a top resistance commander, who died in an encounter with occupation forces. The two incidents reflect that Kashmiris are hell-bent to get their right to self determination. The freedom struggle is now in the hands of 4th generation who are more educated and fully aware of the meaning and benefits for free people. The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had been riding on a popularity wave during the initial days of government, and now at the receiving ends through protests even in his home state of Gujarat, must seriously think how to move ahead to survive. He cannot befool the world that fake elections under the guns of occupation forces and without participation of real Kashmiri leaders and parties could be a substitute for a Plebiscite, promised by the United Nations. Indian agencies are using new tactics and tricks to defame the struggle of Kashmiris but such attempts will fail miserably and people won’t forget their goal of freedom. At both the occasions, brute force was used and many arrests were made to suppress the anti-Indian sentiments but history bears testimony that when there is popular uprising for a just cause, that cannot be suppressed by force or state sponsored terrorism. What is more shameful for the Indian government is that it is encroaching upon the civil liberties of Kashmiri Muslims by placing different restrictions including on their food items. Modi Sahib would be well advised that if he is a real democrat, he should feel the pulse of Kashmiris because he cannot subjugate them for a longer period of time through mean tactics.
pk.shafaqna.com
