New Delhi: Using the choicest expletives for the terrorists who asked tourists their religion before killing them in Pahalgam, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief and Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi held Pakistan responsible for the attack but maintained that accountability should be fixed.
At least 26 people, most of them tourists, were killed and several others injured in what was one of the deadliest terror attacks in the Kashmir Valley. The Centre has called for an all-party meeting Thursday.
“Inn kameeno, haramzaado ne jo harkat ki, wahan par naam pooch kar goli maare, samudaaya pooch kar marein, iski accountability toh honi chaiye. Aur yakeenan ye dehshatgar humare padosi mulk Pakistan se aaye, Pakistan ke ISI, Pakistan ka establishment, unka poora support inko haasil hai,” said Owaisi while addressing a press conference in Hyderabad, the Lok Sabha constituency he represents.
Loosely translated—”The terrorists, what they did, asking people their names and then killing them, there must be accountability. They came from Pakistan and are backed by Pakistan’s ISI and establishment.”
The AIMIM chief also raised concern over the overall security in the region. “A place where there were so many tourists, there was not even one police personnel, or a CRPF camp. The Quick Reaction Team (QRT) took over an hour to reach the spot. And these people shot people after asking about their faith. They came from Pakistan, and Pakistan supports them. How did they cross the border? Who is responsible for it? They could also reach Srinagar if they reached Pahalgam… Justice would only prevail when accountability is fixed… We condemn the terror attack,” he said.
Owaisi also expressed concern over the fact that an attempt was being made to make it into a Hindu-Muslim issue.
“You are making every Muslim gunaahgar (culprit) they are being blamed. Terror has no religion. The people who are killed the most in Kashmir are Kashmiri Muslims. They are terrorists, dogs who follow the ideology of ISIS,” he added.
“They follow the ideology of terrorism. You cannot generalise the great religion of Islam. By doing so aap unn kameene shaitan, jo baithe hai Pakistan mein unhein khush kar rahein hai (by doing this you’re making the monsters who are sitting in Pakistan happy),” he added.
“These dogs must be punished for the acts they committed. And above them, the ‘shaitan’ sitting above who never want peace to prevail in India or Kashmir need to be taught a lesson,” he said, asserting that Kashmir is an integral part of India and will remain so.
Owaisi said the terrorists’ brutality was a reflection of unspeakable barbarity, adding that “whatever condemnation we may do is less”.
“Asking their religion and then taking their lives is completely wrong, it is cruelty. We hope that Allah will reward these terrorists with severe punishment in this world and in the afterlife. And those who are sitting above will also be destroyed,” he added.
He also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to evaluate the government’s deterrence policy. “Those who do not wish peace in Kashmir, action should be against them,” said Owaisi, as he appreciated Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Pahalgam to meet the victims.
“I want to say on record that the home minister meeting the injured victims (and their families) was a good thing. It was not an easy thing to do but he did well. But we should not forget the victims after a few days,” he added.
Owaisi, who had raised concern over smaller parties not being invited for the All-party meeting called over the Pahalgam incident, said that Shah asked him to come. “The reason for which the all-party meeting is called is of national importance. The home minister just called me and asked where I was. He has asked me to come. I will book the earliest ticket and reach for the all-party meeting (in Delhi)…”.
Owaisi said, “Reports have come that there was a poor Kashmiri Muslim who got shot while trying to stop those monsters… those people spreading hatred on social media, are trying to please Pakistan and LeT. If you have hatred for someone then wait for sometime. This is not the time to express hatred. At this moment we have to stand strong against those powers,” he added.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
Also read: Why security forces ran 4.5 km to reach Pahalgam attack site, an hour after bloodshed was already over
