Kashmiris observe India’s Republic Day as Black Day

Srinagar: Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control and across the world observed Indian Republic Day, Friday, as Black Day to convey to the world that India is not a true democratic country as it has usurped the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people for the past over seven decades.

The day was marked with complete shutdown in occupied Kashmir, call for which was given by the Joint Resistance Leadership comprising Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik.

The resistance leaders had also called for peaceful protests and rallies across the occupied territory after Friday prayers, against the civilian killings, indiscriminate firing and use of pellets besides ransacking of properties by the Indian forces’ personnel.

The puppet authorities had put the entire occupied Kashmir especially Srinagar and Jammu under siege.

Indian troops and police personnel were deployed in strength in every nook and corner of the occupied territory, causing huge inconvenience to the people.

The authorities also placed Hurriyat leaders including Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, Mukhtar Ahmed Waza and Hilal Ahmed War under house arrest or in custody to prevent them from leading the anti-India demonstrations.

The Chairman of International Forum for Justice and Human Rights, Muhammad Ahsan Untoo, in a statement in Srinagar demanded that the Indian troops involved in a deadly massacre in Kupwara in 1994 be brought to book. The troops had mercilessly killed twenty-seven innocent Kashmiris on 27th January in 1994 for observing shutdown on Indian Republic Day, the 26th January, in the town.