New Delhi: Congress love for Kashmir separatists came out in the open today, when the grand old party’s senior leader, P. C. Chacko, lauded the courage of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) leader, Mohammad Yasin Malik.
The statement from the Congress leader comes a day after the Jammu and Kashmir High Court rejected the plea of Yasin Malik to transfer his decades-old case from Jammu to Srinagar.
According to P. C. Chacko the separatist leader showed courage to stand up to the Central Government even though the government was trying to threaten him at gunpoint.
The Congress leader said, “Even though we do not support Yasin Malik’s ideology or actions, the courage he has shown is something which should be appreciated because New Delhi cannot threaten anybody in a democracy.”
The leader added that Narendra Modi was trying to make the separatist leader surrender at gunpoint.
What makes Chacko’s support to the separatist leader dangerous is the fact that Yasin Malik is in judicial custody for funding terror. The JKLF leader is also investigated by CBI in the abduction of the daughter of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
Additionally, he is undergoing trail for with the death of four Air Force personnel in 1990.
JKLF is a separatist organization active in Pakistan occupied Kashmir and in Jammu and Kashmir working for the independence of the state. It waged an armed struggle against Indian forces during late 80’s and early 90’s. The group after 1994 laid down arms and continued its aim to free Kashmir.
However, JKLF leader, Yasin Malik, still funds terror groups in the valley and is active in the fight against Indian forces. He was arrested for funding terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir.