CHRARESHARIEF: More than 10,000 persons led by Mirwaiz, Umar Farooq converged on the shrine of Sheikh Nooruddin Wali, now razed to ground, and resolved to initiate reconstruction work soon.

The marchers chanting pro-freedom and pro-Pakistan slogans reached here in buses, trucks and ears by the noon, The procession was led by the Mirwaiz.

Other leaders who accompanied the Mirwaizincluded Abdlu Ghani Lone, Shabir Ahmad Shah and Moulvi Abbas Ansari. This is for the first time after the Chrar Shrine was razed to ground and over 2,000 houses were burnt in the town last week, the government allowed a procession to proceed to the township. Security arrangements were tightened along the 30km long road from Srinagar to this, town.

Addressing the congregation Moulvi Umar Farooq and other senior leaders of the Hurriyat condemned the government action in this town, these leaders blamed the government in general and the Army deployed in the area in particular for the tragedy.

The Mirwaiz, out rightly rejected the government plan to reconstruct the shrine in consultation with religious leaders and local people. The people of Kashmir will themselves reconstruct and not allow the government to construct the holy shrine of Sheikh Nooruddin Wali,” said the Mirwaiz. he said the” destruction” of the shrine and the township “exposed the Government of India which claimed to be the biggest democracy and secular country of the world,” as he pointed towards the ruins of the holy shrine.

The Mirwaiz. told the audience of the shrine of Sheikh Nooruddin Wali that the people all over the valley shared the agony that the people of Chrar faced while the shrine and the houses of the: people in the township were razed to the ground “by the security personnel.”

Expressing his sympathy with the people of Chrar he said “the process of elections as initiated by the government is no solution to the Kashmir issue.” The practice of “elections and selections and internal autonomy were not going to solve the problem he added.

The All Party Hurriyat Conference has already rejected the government offer of assistance for the reconstruction of the shrine, The leaders who visited the area today, however, did not announce the date for the initiating of the reconstruction work of the shrine.

Abdul Gani Lone and other senior leaders of the APHC said they would announce a “program” a week before the government fixed polling dates for Jammu and Kashmir, He described the present political and election process as “nothing but frustration.”

Sabir Ahmad Shah, who was released late last week after 12 days of detention, also addressed the gatherings Official sources said that though Section 14 of the Cr. P.C. was imposed in Srinagar and Chrar-e-Sharief following the “Chrar-e-Sharief chalo” call by the APHC, the slogans shouting people in buses, trucks and other vehicles were allowed to proceed there.

Meanwhile, shops and business establishments in Srinagar and other major towns remained closed for the 13th day on May 22 due to a bandh observed by the people in protest against the burning down of the shrine and town of Chrar-e-Sharicf,

State, central and semi government offices also wore deserted look as employees stayed away from work. Banks and educational institutions also remained closed. However, the APHC has appealed to the people to resume normal activities from this week.

The security forces and police burst teargas shells against mobs at Dal Gate here May 22. The mob also stoned passing vehicles when they were not allowed to take out a procession from there.

The political process received a jolt when militants shot dead Mohammad Amin Shah, a CPM activist at his Bonegund house in Kulgam tehsi Sunday.

The killing of Shah came close on the heels of the governments of holding assembly elections in the state before July 18 when the term of President’s rule expires.

Earlier, militants had killed a Janus Dal leader from Kupwara and made two attempt son the life of another JD leader at Pulwama last month.

An official spokesman said tents shot dead a village head, Gut Khan and another person identified as Tariq Ahmad Khan at Khreeri village in Baramula district Sunday.

Article extracted from this publication >> May 26, 1995