Ikhwan era a closed chapter: Naeem Akhtar

Srinagar, May 24 (KMW): Senior Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader and Minister for Education, Naeem Akhtar Sunday made it clear that the revival of the dark era of Ikhwanis was not just possible as such practices were not only illegal and unconstitutional but unethical as well.

“Whosoever is dishing out such absurd views, is grossly ignorant about both- the ground realities in Kashmir and the law,” Akhtar said in a statement issued here today.
Akhtar said in a landmark judgment on the issue of Salwa Judam – the government sponsored gunmen used by Chattisgarh government against Maoists – the Supreme Court in April 2008, declared all such activities illegal and unconstitutional. He said the Supreme Court has, in it judgment, made it clear that arms can’t be given to a civilian to kill and “anybody doing so will be an abettor of the offence under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code.”
“So if somebody has made any statement on the issue, he must be completely ignorant about the law,” Akhtar said and added that PDP has earned its credibility among the masses by rising against and holding back such practices. “Everybody knows how in 2002, the PDP-led coalition government not only ended the infamous Ikhwan culture in Kashmir, but also wound up the dreaded Task Force and the people in every nook and corner of the State, at that time, acknowledged the substantial relief on the security front,” he said and added that except PDP all other political parties and groups in Kashmir including NC and Congress have ruthlessly used the government-gunmen for political purposes.
“It was NC which for the first time provided political space to Ikhwanis in 1996 by sending them to the legislature and Congress was not far behind in institutionalizing Ikhwan culture by offering some noted Ikhwanis space in the party’s rank and file,” he said and added that not going too far, even a cursory look at the list of candidates of 2014 assembly elections would make it clear which party has most of the Ikhwanis as its frontline cadres.
Akhtar said PDP envisions a place of dignity, peace, prosperity and opportunity for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, with political empowerment, economic emancipation and social uplift as the guiding principles of its policy. “Whether in or outside the power we have pursued these principles with unwavering confidence,” he said.