The Hindu : National : Shabir Shah arrested

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 16, 2004

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National

Shabir Shah arrested

By Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR, APRIL 15. The Democratic Freedom Party chief, Shabir Shah, was arrested here today soon after he embarked on a State-wide campaign to make people aware of the political situation with regard to the coming parliamentary elections.

Mr. Shah and his supporters were heading for the border district of Kupwara in a few vehicles, raising slogans in favour of "azadi" (freedom) and against the elections, when police stopped them near Iqbal Park here and asked Mr. Shah to accompany them. A heated exchange of words followed when Mr. Shah refused to oblige. Later, police resorted to a lathicharge and arrested Mr. Shah and his supporters for violation of the prohibitory orders under Section 144.

Earlier, at a press conference, Mr. Shah said that he would lead a yatra `Qafla-e-shaheen' from Srinagar to Kupwara and Kupwara to Nobra in the Ladakh region. This would tell the people why the "elections are irrelevant."

Criticising mainstream parties such as the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and the National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir, he said they were "blackmailing the people." The elections were just for forming governments whether at the Centre or the State. "Elections will not solve our problem and we have seen it in the past." The vote had its own importance but a solution to the Kashmir issue could come only through a dialogue between India, Pakistan and the Kashmiris. Opening of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road was only a confidence-building measure and not the solution as being portrayed by the PDP.

Tarigami files papers

The CPI(M) State secretary, Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami, today filed his nomination papers for the Anantnag parliamentary constituency. He later addressed a public meeting.

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