Srinagar: Shabnum Gani Lone, the renowned Supreme Court lawyer and daughter of late Khawaja Abdul Gani Lone — has announced she will start an online petition campaign to reopen the case of her father’s killing.
In a special interview with Kashmir Press Service (KPS), Shabnum Gani Lone talked about her late father’s life, his martyrdom, a future strategy to seek justice, prevailing situation in Kashmir, PDP-BJP alliance, and Indian media’s role.
Shabnum said she will visit Handwara and Kupwara to devise a strategy regarding the online petition. She said the online petition is aimed at reopening of the case to ascertain the factors that led to her father’s killing and exposing the killers besides seeking justice.
She expressed hope that all political parties will rise above party lines and support her in the petition campaign which will be sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “As the campaign succeeds, we will raise voices against all other victims.”
Lone, however, expressed dismay over the lackadaisical attitude of the people of Kupwara and Handwara vis-a-vis the “gruesome murder” of late Khawaja Abdul Gani Lone.
“Much against my expectations, the people of Kupwara and Handwara didn’t raise their strong voice against the killing of their much-loved and selfless leader who always stood by them in every hour of happiness and grief,” she said.
“Had my father not been brutally murdered, there would have been no Mufti Sayeed or his party PDP. When Mufti became the chief minister of J&K, I thought he will order probe into the killing of my father but nothing like that happened,” she added.
“If I will remain silent on my father’s unjust killing, I don’t deserve to be called as a faithful daughter and lawyer.”
When asked why she didn’t pursue the case despite being a Supreme Court lawyer, Shabnum said, “Following the killing of Khawaja Abdul Gani Lone Sahib, our family fell victim to agencies’ politics. I was already in deep shock and trauma and couldn’t face the situation. For years I waited with the hope that my father’s close companions will take steps but to my utter disappointment nothing happened.”
“Then unfortunately my younger brother Sajad Lone joined hands with BJP and was made minister. I thought now Sajad will break the silence and fight for the case but I was wrong again. Even many leaders in PDP including Nizamuddin Bhat and Muzaffar Hussain Beigh, whom my father had done numerous favours, maintained silence in this regard.”
On PDP-BJP government, Lone said, “This unholy alliance is of compromise and unfortunately my younger brother is part of it. The alliance is not for the betterment of the people of Kashmir or healing their wounds but for the fulfilment of their personal agendas.”
She said several ministers in the PDP were militants in past and lashed out at BJP for its “hypocrisy”. “In India, BJP boasts of being patriotic and representing the sentiments of people of the country while as in Kashmir, the party in alliance with PDP speaks other tongue and is resorting to political hooliganism in Valley.”
Holding the chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and her (PDP’s) cabinet ministers equally responsible for 2016 civilian killings, Shabnum Lone said both CM and her cabinet ministers take decisions which are directed to police and army in unified command by the same ministers.
Describing the late Khawaja Abdul Gani Lone as “voice of Kashmiris and their selfless leader”, Shabnum Lone said her father was a great visionary leader who had dedicated his whole life for the people and never compromised with the interests of Kashmiris.
“Lone Sahib was a fully determined leader whose heart would always beat for securing and safeguarding the honour and dignity of Kashmiris and liberating them from the pangs of tragedies and miseries,” she said, adding, “I’m extremely disappointed with those people, particularly from my own vicinity (Kupwara and Handwara), for whom Lone Sahib dedicated his life, that they didn’t raise their voice with zeal and vigour or fought for justice for the gruesome murder of their beloved leader. I had expected people won’t rest till justice would be done in Lone Sahib’s murder but that didn’t happen.”
“This doesn’t mean the people have forgotten their beloved leader; they still love him from the core of their hearts. This is evident from the fact that whenever I visit Handwara or Kupwara, I receive huge welcome from people who don’t come to visit for me but for my late father. They know Khawaja Abdul Gani Lone was a sincere and kind hearted person.”
“I don’t want to take any revenge but my question, as a daughter, is why my father was killed. The killer should answer as to he contributed to Kashmir by carrying out the killing. My father sacrificed his life to stop the bloodshed we are witnessing now and to save the youth of Kashmir.”
Asked why she didn’t take this step earlier, Shabnum Lone said, “Initially I believed my brothers will leave no stone unturned in seeking justice for their late father’s murder but unfortunately the case hasn’t progressed even an inch and not a single arrest has made in this regard. After participating in media discussions, the idea of starting an online petition campaign struck my mind.”
“During a TV discussion, the BJP’s national spokesperson Rakesh Shukla spat venom against my late father and told me the daughter of a terrorist while my brother is an ally of this party. The incident left me shocked and I decided to put up a brave front and launch an online petition campaign. I want to make it clear to BJP that not all people are like Bilal and Sajad (Lone).”
Comments are closed.