SRINAGAR: Father of Hizbul Mujahiddn Commander Burhan Wani , whose death sparked a cycle of protest-and-crackdown in India-held Kashmir that has left more than 80 civilians dead, has likened his slain son to Indian freedom fighter Bhagat Singh.
“When Bhagat Singh was fighting against the British, they called him a terrorist, but Indians maintained he was a freedom fighter. When the problem of Kashmir will be solved, India will realise Wani was a freedom fighter, Muzaffar Wani said in an interview with the Times of India (TOI).
Muzaffar Wani said that he “liked everything” that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly.
“Burhan’s killing has brought a new light in this movement of freedom.”
In an interview Muzaffar Wani, a government school teacher, gave to Times of India, said, “When Bhagat Singh was fighting against the British, they called him a terrorist, but Indians maintained he was a freedom fighter. When the problem of Kashmir will be solved, India will realise Wani was a freedom fighter.”
Muzaffar has lost two sons to violence in Kashmir now, a fact that he bears with courage. “Before Burhan my son Khalid, who is four years elder to him, was killed in April 2015 by the security forces when he’d gone for a picnic. He was tortured to death.”
Police had thought that Khalid had gone to meet Burhan when they picked him.
Burhan Wani who was born in 1994 left his house in 2010 to join the freedom struggle. After this he met him just once or twice. His loss, he adds, is difficult to bear.
“In the last five years, I met him two or three times for just around two or three minutes. The last time was two-and-half years ago. He was always on his own. I am in a government job for my family. He was working for entire J&K.” But he adds, that the fact that his sons left him was “Allah’s will”.
He complained that Prime Minister Modi did not express grief despite more than 100 people have been killed in Kashmir in the last two months. He only expressed grief over the killing of soldiers.”
Muzaffar thinks that the Uri attack was not carried out by Pakistan.
“How can it be Pakistan? Whoever entered Kashmir after becoming a militant is a Kashmiri. It’s necessary to solve the Kashmir problem. Else, these attacks may happen.”
Muzaffar, an old man who has suffered the violence in his region longs for peace. We’ve lost so much in the last two months. We want some resolution.”
For his son and daughter who still live with him he hopes they understand the value of peace.
