Separatists liken NIA to ‘Gabbar Singh’

Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik. (File Photo: IANS/PIB)

Kashmiri separatist Yasin Malik on Wednesday likened the National Investigating Agency (NIA) to “Gabbar Singh’’ and said it was being used to frighten Kashmiris. He announced plans to court arrest at the agency’s headquarters on Saturday in protest. “NIA is not an investigating agency. This NIA — if you have seen the movie Sholay — India has made it (villain) Gabbar Singh so that Gabbar moves out and frightens the people of Kashmir,’’ he told reporters outside Srinagar’s grand mosque. “This Gabbar is challenging Kashmiris…threatening (them).’’

Malik said NIA raids in Kashmir were aimed to pressure people to “stay away from the movement”. He added that he will court arrest along with Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Syed Ali Shah Geelani. “All three of us would travel to Delhi on Saturday… We have booked our tickets. We will go straight to NIA headquarters and tell them to arrest us. We will tell them that you are threatening us of Tihar jail. We have lived in more notorious jails of India,’’ Malik said at a press conference with the Mirwaiz.

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