Calls for Supreme Court monitored judicial probe into Hyderpora encounter to ‘uncover truth’
SNS KASHMIR
Srinagar, November 20 :
The Concerned Citizens Group (CCG) led by former union finance minister, Yashwant Sinha has expressed its deep anguish at the civilian killings in the Hyderpora encounter and called for a judicial inquiry under the supervision of the Supreme Court in order to “uncover the truth” and restore people’s confidence in the rule of law.
In a statement, issued to Kashmir News Service (KNS) CCG said that the government’s explanation about the Hyderpora incident is as clear as mud and complicates the issue further. “The Lt. governor’s decision to order a magisterial enquiry is nothing more than an eyewash,” reads the statement.
In its nine reports prepared after visits to Jammu and Kashmir since 2016, the Group said it has been emphasizing the need for a political solution and not a military solution to the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, as indeed many others including military commanders are familiar with the situation.
“We have also emphasized that s political solution can come only out of a dialogue with all stakeholders. But our pleas have fallen on deaf ears. The government of India has tried everything from an extended governor’s rule to constitutional changes but nothing has worked for the simple reason that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have not been taken into confidence,” it reads.
It reads that the killings of civilians have demonstrated that the situation on the ground is far from normal as claimed by the government from time to time. “Incidents, such as killings of innocent civilians, are bound to exacerbate it further. The magisterial enquiry should immediately be replaced by a judicial enquiry under the supervision of the Supreme Court in order to ‘uncover’ the truth and restore people’s confidence in the rule of law,” it reads.
The statement reads that they also demand that the inquiry should be completed expeditiously. “In the meanwhile, those guilty of perpetrating it should be placed under suspension. We appeal to Members of Parliament to visit J&K as soon as possible and raise this issue in the ensuing session of Parliament,” it reads.
The group also condemned the statement of Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, endorsing the demand for the public lynching of terrorists.
“It shows that General Rawat has no use for the laws of the country and believes only in jungle raj. He must immediately withdraw this statement and apologize for it,” the CCG said.
The statement was jointly issued by Wajahat Habibullah, Kapil Kak, Sushobha Barve and Bharat Bhushan. (KNS)