NEW DELHI: The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chief ‘Yasin Malik has been warmed by his own outlawed group not to speak 10 journalists in Delhi.

Donning white kurta pyjama and sporting a beard Malik appeared before the police at Tilak Marg police station. He refused to talk to ‘The Times of India on the plea that this group had told him not to speak to the journalists in Delhi I have turned down the requests of several other journalists as well he said. After four years’ detention Malik was released on bail by the designated TADA court on health grounds on May 16. A special mother Aliquant Begum Musuma following which the court directed the accused to present himself at the Tilak Marg police station on the 16th of every month. He furnished two sureties of Rs 50000 each and was directed to keep the police and the court informed about the places he visited in and outside Delhi. Malik along with 11 others was arrested on August 6 1990 from Barzula in Srinagar. Besides several cases he is the prime accused in the Rubaiya Sayeed kidnapping case. Accompanied by his mother and a relative he reached the Delhi airport last week and straight away headed towards his relative’s house at Sadhna Extension. He appeared before the police with his lawyer R. M. Tufail.

Malik refused to give any interview but agreed to an informal chat. In the Maruti car driven by his relative he kept mum but at the Sidhartha Extension flat he took the reporter over to the Valley with him so that he could help him in getting different stories. Yaseen’s repeated statements to purify the Azaadi movement of the criminal elements is said to have upset many militant groups in the Valley Besides he holds a firm view that guns would fall silent if the government agrees to unconditional talks by involving all the three parties (India Pakistan and Kashmiris) to resolve the Kashmir issue.

The anger of the militants was visible when they made two abortive attempts on his life in the Valley recently. But Malik said he would not accept any security cover. I would love to die for my people he seemingly added. He blamed some government organizations for creating an impression that he was working for them in the Valley. This is not true at all. i love my Valley as much as I love my mother One thing which he said was of serious concern was that custody deaths were allegedly on the rise in Kashmir. This must stop at once he added.

Article extracted from this publication >> June 24, 1994