Speaking in the assembly, senior opposition leader, Molvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari, said that Kashmir was a part of India and not its slave, and warned that the National Conference would not last in government even for four days if deprived of the favours of New Delhi or the army generals.
Iftikhar who is a senior leader of opposition Peoples Democratic Party, led by Mehbooba Mufti, pointed out that 28 lakh kanals of land (8 kanals measure equalant to 1 Acre) were under the occupation of the Indian forces in a small state like Jammu and Kashmir,
“And now the army is constructing barracks on the Zabarwan hills overlooking capital Srinagar, and there is no one to stop them,” he said.
“If you have the moral courage, then stop them,” he challenged the treasury benches.
“The common man faces a hundred thousand hassles in constructing a house and it takes ages to get all the paper work done, but the army has taken over an entire mountain,” he said.
“We are not against the army, but it should behave like an army and not like an occupying force,” he said.
When BJP members bristled at the references to the army, Molvi Iftikhar countered: “When we speak the truth, you take us for Pakistanis.”
“We are a part of India, not its slaves. Speaking the truth is my creed and jehad my philosophy,” he said.
Directing his remarks at the ministers of ruling coalition, Molvi Iftikhar said: “The youth are watching this process silently. The lava is building up, and tomorrow these very youth will dig us out of our graves.”
Molvi Iftikhar asserted that his party stood for a reduction in troops and revocation of draconian laws, and had to face a chorus of protests from the BJP who accused him of digressing from the topic and attacking the army.
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