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Journalism of Courage
JKLF chairman Yasin Malik, his deputy Javed Mir, senior separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah were among 30 people detained by police on Friday for trying to launch an anti-poll drive in Baramulla district. The trio had been detained for several hours last Friday too. Malik, Mir and a few JKLF supporters were arrested near Tashkent Chowk hours before they were to take out a rally in the border town. They were planning to discourage people from voting at the Friday congregation.
A JKLF spokesman, while condemning the arrest, said Malik was to lead a peaceful campaign against the elections. The police action, he said, ‘‘exposes the tall claims of Indian democracy’’. Malik and the rest have been kept in Baramulla Police Station.
The police also arrested Democratic Freedom Party chief Shabir Shah and his supporters near Mirgund, 10 km from Srinagar. Shah was supposed to address gatherings at Kupwara, Drugmulla and Chowgul to launch the party’s ‘‘awareness campaign’’ against the forthcoming polls.
Shah told The Indian Express that a police posse first intercepted him and three dozen supporters at Mirgund and later detained them at Narbal. His party will continue to carry out the anti-poll programme till the last phase of Lok Sabha elections, he said.
Criticising the Mufti Mohammed Sayeed-led government for the arrests, Shah said the CM has been talking about democracy as a ‘‘battle of ideas’’ but has been stifling the voices of those against the polls. He said his party members would tour Doda and Jammu to urge people not to vote.
Reports also said that at least half-dozen leaders of the breakaway faction of the Hurriyat Conference, including Hakim Abdul Rashid and Moulvi Bashir Ahmad, were arrested at Pattan and Mirgund. Syed Ali Shah Geelani was, however, able to address a huge gathering at Achabal in Anantnag. He asked people to boycott the polls.
