Cow Violence Grips Kathua, Hurriyat Calls for Protests

SRINAGAR: The Hurriyat has called for post-Friday prayer protests today in J&K against the attacks on Muslims in Kathua district over an alleged cow slaughter incident earlier this week.

In a statement, the powerful Hurriyat trio of Syed Ali Geelani, Mohammad Yasin Malik and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, while condemning the attacks in Kathua, called for "peaceful protests after Friday prayers to express solidarity" with the victims of “vandalism and highhandedness of fascist forces” in Jammu.

Communal tension were sparked in Kathua district on Monday over an alleged cow slaughter incident which also dominated the Assembly proceedings in Jammu where the Opposition, National Conference, Congress and other parties, staged a walk out in protest over the issue.

Eight persons, including a minor and forces personnel, sustained injuries in Kathua’s Hari Chek village after the alleged cow slaughtering incident. The J&K Police has arrested four persons in connection with the incident so far.

"The Friday protests should convey a clear and loud message to the communal goons and their supporters that they should forget to see 2017 through the prism of 1947. In case they even try to do so, it will be fought with iron hands. Entire populace of Jammu and Kashmir is a single entity and pain or turbulence anywhere will be felt everywhere,” the Hurriyat trio said.

Appealing Muslim clerics, Imams and Khatibs throughout the state to highlight the issue in their Friday sermons as it is their "moral responsibility", the Hurriyat said the "hapless Muslims (in Jammu region) were living under fear psychosis for the last 70 years as their ancestors have been butchered mercilessly under the watchful eyes of the tallest traitor of this unfortunate land”.

Reacting to the National Conference legislators, who raised the issue in the state Assembly on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Hurriyat trio said: "Those raising voice on the plight of Jammu Muslims, should introspect themselves to see the mutilated face of their past and at that time their humanity had lost every sheen to act as mute spectators of massacring more than 5 lakh Muslims, just for their craving for power".