Neyaz Elahi
Srinagar, Oct 28, KNT: The NIA raids on some individuals including on the house of a Journalists, media house, charity house and a human rights activist have invited sharp criticism from different quarters in Kashmir Valley.
Social media users are describing these raids as an attempt to ‘scare and harass’ those who don’t want to fall in line with Indian narrative on Kashmir.
Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti took to Twitter and tweeted that: “At a time when J&K’s land & resources are being plundered, GOI wants media publications to write op-eds about diabetes & yoga. In BJP’s ‘all is well’ charade, truth is the biggest casualty. Any journalist unwilling to become a part of Godi media is targeted.”
Mehbooba Mufti also wrote: “NIA raids on human rights activist Khurram Parvez & Greater Kashmir office in Srinagar is yet another example of GOIs vicious crackdown on freedom of expression & dissent. Sadly, NIA has become BJPs pet agency to intimidate & browbeat those who refuse to fall in line.”
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted raids at multiple locations across Kashmir Valley, a day after Government of India threw land in Jammu and Kashmir open to all across India. These teams were assisted by Para-military troopers and local Jammu Kashmir Police.
Raids were conducted at local NGO Athrout office in Nawakadal Srinagar, the office of newspaper
Greater Kashmir at Press Colony, house of a Journalist Zaheer Ahmed at Magarmal Bagh, H.B Hilton House Boat at Nehrupark and residence of Human rights activist Khurram Parvez at Sonwar Srinagar.
Well placed sources told news agency KNT that raids were also conducted in Hyderpora, Pantha Chowk and Bandipora areas.
Sources added that NIA raided a building in Hyderpora Srinagar which is owned by one Ghulam Qader Malik. The said building is being used on rent basis by an organization called Association of Parents for Disappeared Persons (APDP). This Association fights for the cause of those families whose dear ones have been disappeared after the start of struggle against India in 1990’s.
A team of NIA also raided the flat of senior Journalist Parvez Bukhari at Naaz Colony Pantha Chowk in Srinagar outskirts. Bukhari is associated with International Media Outlet AFP and is the resident of Rawalpora Srinagar.
Sources told Kashmir News Trust that the house of an Hurriyat Activist was also raided in Brar area of North Kashmir’s Bandipora district. The Activist has been identified as Muhammad Yousf Sofi alias Salman s/o Abdul Rashid Sofi.
Senior Journalist Anuradha Bhasin shortly after the NIA raids tweeted that: “NIA raids on GK office and HR defender Khurram Parvez’s house are attempts to impose silence even on our whispers (and they’re scared of even that). This comes a day after the disempowering land laws. Can this be just a coincidence?” (KNT)