India’s hypocrisy

Yasin Malik is a prisoner of conscience. The JKLF leader, who is incarcerated for life, has a tale to tell as his entire career has revolved around hope and despair. A top anti-terrorism investigating agency has recently demanded death sentence for the Kashmiri icon, exposing the hollowness of not only India’s judicial system but also the vendetta at work at the highest echelons of power that purports democracy and values of civilisation. While Malik has not been provided a fair opportunity of trial to this day, with the explicit intention of penalising him for his cherished views on freedom for Kashmiris, this new twist in his prosecution is inhuman and barbaric in essence.

Malik is a test case for people who propagate emancipation. The fact that he gave up his armed resistance in occupied Kashmir and opted for a peaceful struggle and that too within the constitutional ambit has merely exposed the dichotomy at work in the Indian establishment. If seeking rights within the framework of law is permissible, then why was Malik jailed and humiliated? After all he was rubbing shoulders with Indian who’s who and campaigning for the constitutionally guaranteed rights of Kashmiris, and that too after abandoning his course of militancy. This aspect should have been applauded, and Malik promoted as an example of figures who opt for political-correctness. But that was never the case, as India is not sincere at all in addressing the woes of Kashmiris, be the demand is within the lawful limits or extra-constitutional.

This is why, apparently, the JKLF chief had pleaded guilty last year to funding the separatist movement after refusing to accept a government-appointed lawyer to defend him against the charges, as he was sure that there is no point in believing in a hypocritical system under the yoke of India. Malik’s release and the struggle for Kashmiri liberation go hand in hand. The world community must come to his rescue in all sincerity and humility. This is the least that can be expected to put New Delhi in the dock.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 28^th, 2023.

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