Staff Reporter: Speakers at a discussion meeting held by the national press club demanded, Due to the humanitarian crisis, it is high time to send a UN peacekeeping mission to Kashmir. The Kashmiris should be allowed to decide whether to be independent or remain with India by voting through the United Nations.
The demand came at a discussion On Friday titled “Fundamental Rights-Human Duties: perspective Kashmir” which was held at the VIP Lounge of the National Press Club (Tofazzal Hossain Manik Mia Auditorium), organized by Citizen Forum, a platform of civil society.
Speakers said, the special status article 370 of Kashmir has been taken away and an atmosphere of fear has been created. Kashmiris are being persecuted the most. The BJP of India is creating conflict between religions. Their radical behavior is destabilizing South Asia. Due to the humanitarian crisis, it is high time to send a UN peacekeeping mission to Kashmir. The Kashmiris should be allowed to decide whether to be independent or remain with India by voting through the United Nations.
Under the moderation of Nagorik Forum General Secretary Parvez Hossain Daily Naya Digant editor Alamgir Mohiuddin, BNP Chairperson’s adviser and poet Abdul Hai Shikdar, English daily New Nation former editor Kamal Mazumder, Dainik Bhorer Khabar editor-in-chief and Major (rtd) D. Harnoor Rashid Bhuiyan, BNP leader Saifur Rahman Mihir and engineer Sharifuzzaman was discussant, etc.
By virtually Addressing the chief guest at the meeting, former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) retired Justice Abdur Rauf said, Those who talk more about human rights today are violating human rights. And the question of human rights is not right. Man did not come to earth for rights. People are sent to perform their duties. Because he came as a representative of the Creator and will serve creation.’
He added Kashmir is now a topic of discussion in the subcontinent. If you look at everything from a human point of view, there is no such doubt. We also have a responsibility towards the oppressed people of Kashmir. The people of the world have to fulfill that responsibility.
Poet and Journalist Abdul Hai Shikdar said, there are no human rights in Kashmir now. Not only ordinary people but also journalists and human rights workers cannot speak. A kind of horror has been spread around. The atmosphere of terror by the Indian army is now in Kashmir. India’s extreme BJP politicians are doing whatever they want by canceling Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. What they say is the law. Law is what they please. They don’t care about any system or state law. Apart from that, no rules are obeyed.
A class of media is calling those who are fighting for the freedom of Kashmir as ‘militants’. This is contrary to the beliefs of the emancipated of our 1971. They are fighting for their freedom. They are libertarians, their activities should be written as such in the media, he added.
Abdullahil Masood, chairman of the Citizens’ Forum, in his speech, said, Many journalists in Kashmir have been arrested, harassed, summoned to police stations, and arrested since 2019. The administration also implemented a new media policy aimed at regulating reporting.
He said It is time to send a peacekeeping mission to Kashmir under the supervision of the United Nations. Let them decide their fate by holding a plebiscite in Kashmir under the auspices of the United Nations. The UN peacekeeping mission will remain in Kashmir till the polls. All countries of the world need to play a role in this. Until the polls are held, every year a representative should be sent to Kashmir to monitor the situation and report to the world.
Alamgir Mohiuddin, editor of the daily Naya Diganta has said, The oppression of the people of Kashmir today is not visible to anyone, as if no one is responsible. We do not support communism because it is oppressing Muslims. We will speak on behalf of the oppressed if anyone is crushed anywhere. We will stand by the oppressed. Irrespective of the religion of the oppressed, we will stand by them. If a Hindu is oppressed we will stand by them, similarly if a Muslim is oppressed it will be our duty to stand by them.
Dainik Bhorer Khabar editor-in-chief and Major (rtd) Dr. Harnoor Rashid Bhuiyan said, At the time of India’s independence, Kashmir was an independent country with its own map, currency, flag, parliament, and constitution. In 1947, the majority of Muslims were allowed to live in Kashmir according to their own wishes. But India occupied Jammu and Kashmir in 1947 through military invasion.
He also said, As a conscious citizen and humanist Muslim, I fully support the rights of the independent Kashmiri people, their movement. We support those people from any part of the world.
Since 1947, Kashmir has had the status of a Special Autonomous Region in the Constitution of India. According to the agreement, Kashmir will have its own flag, laws, currency, and sovereignty even if it is with India. Only foreign affairs and defense will be under India’s control. But that Article 370 of special status was canceled by the ruling BJP on August 5, 2019. India has withdrawn from the agreement that has been going on for the past 70 years, which is being protested by almost all the states.
