Enough, Hurriyat must talk: Sajad Lone

‘‘Enough is enough. I request the Hurriyat leadership not to waste any time and start a dialogue forthwith. Ten Kashmiris are killed everyday, scores are arrested and beaten…The Hurriyat must realise that we, Kashmiris, are dying and try to carve out an honourable solution. It should minimise its agenda on Kashmir,’’ said Sajad, who became chairman of the People’s Conference after his father’s assassination.

Emotions ran high as the crowd cheered Sajad’s speech amid slogans raised in memory of the slain Lone. ‘‘How many Kashmiris are there? If the cycle of violence is not stopped, we may get extinct. It matters little for Kashmiris whether the talks are trilateral or triangular. What matters is that we should start talking instantly,’’ emphasised Sajad.

He also raised questions about the timing of his father’s death — just two days after returning from the US. ‘‘I am sure he had done something for the resolution of the Kashmir problem. He must have talked with the US leaders and apprised them about the ground conditions,’’ he said.

Four sections were involved in Lone’s assassination, said Sajad — ‘‘those who did the groundwork, those who created a conducive atmosphere for his killing, those who hatched the conspiracy and, finally, those who carried out the assassination.’’ He added the conducive atmosphere was created by a section of the Hurriyat while Farooq was responsible for the groundwork.

Sajad and his brother Bilal were accompanied by thousands of supporters. People lined the roads from Kulangam, 15 km from the venue at Kupwara, considered Lone’s political bastion, shouting slogans.