The Tribune 17th May 2023
Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) states that we place a report from The Tribune dated 17th May,2023 with the caption – “Baseless : India slams UN rapporteur for objecting to G20 meet in Srinagar.”
Our Party and I as a Member of Parliament are aware that what the UN Rapporteur has said is factual and to the point.
In 1948 the UN Security Council passed a resolution that a plebiscite takes place in Kashmir.
This case to the UN was taken up by no other than the Prime Minister Jwaharlal Nehru.
But this resolution for a plebiscite has not been honoured though a plebiscite is the best tool in the democracy to decide an issue democratically and peacefully.
Our Party does not oppose the G20 meeting to take place in Kashmir.
But it would be truthful to say that in 2019 the right wing BJP Union Government of Premier Nerandra Modi annulled article 370 and 35 A of the Constitution which gave a semblance of autonomy to Kashmir.
With this fiat the Union Government also dissolved the legislature of Jammu and Kashmir, which would mean that the people in Jammu Kashmir have no legislature to express their opinion. In this very fiat the status of Jammu Kashmir being a state of the Union, that too was annulled. Presently Jammu and Kashmir is an Union Territory ruled and governed by BJP RSS Union Government in Delhi.
Besides these undemocratic steps the Union Government legislated the harsh and brutal law AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Power Act.). This law gives power to the security forces to kill, rape, maim, murder and kidnap any Kashmiri, all with impunity.
The Supreme Court is the guardian of the Constitution but this law violates article 21 of the Constitution which states that “No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty, except in according to procedure established by law.”
This Law AFSPA, therefore, contravenes the Constitution, but the Supreme Court has not declared it ultra vires of the Constitution.
We have The National Human Rights Commission in Delhi which has also not taken cognisance of this Constitutional breach by the Union Government.
Our party is of the opinion that the UN Special Rapporteur (SR) Fernand de Varennes is correct and honest in the advice he has given. Human Rights of the Minorities, Tribals and the Schedule Castes have been repeatedly violated.
I as a Member of Parliament was not allowed to enter Jammu and Kashmir on 17 October, 2022, and then again on 13 November 2022. I registered an appeal to travel to Jammu and Kashmir in the Session Judges Court in Kathua(Jammu) but as things stand the Session Judge followed the diktat of the Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha of Jammu & Kashmir and ruled that I could not enter this Union territory Jammu and Kashmir.
As such Our Party has first hand knowledge of the trespasses of human rights taking place in Jammu and Kashmir and we say the UN Special Rapporteur has passed a very factual opinion which should be respected.
In 2000 former President Bill Clinton visited the Hindu Indian state. During his visit 43 innocent Sikh’s living in village Chithisinghpura of Kashmir were massacred in cold blood by the army. Our Party has gone from pillar to post to seek justice for these innocent massacred Sikh’s, but to no avail. We await Justice and also we await help from Human Rights Bodies.
Simranjit Singh Mann
Member of Parliament
President
Shiromani Akali Dal Amritsar
Email simranjitsinghmann@yahoo.com
Website https://akalidalamritsar.in/
Facebook page @sardarsimranjitsinghmann