Bilal Bashir Bhat
Srinagar, Dec 27 (KNB): Notwithstanding the controversy over the treatment of Pakistan with the family of incarcerated Kulbhushan Jadav, the netizens in Kashmir have raised questions over plight of Kashmiri prisoners and visa policy of India in comparison with their rival Pakistan.
Kulbhushan Jadhav, the Indian man sentenced to death in Pakistan over spying charges met his family in jail after his mother and wife were granted visa on humanitarian basis by the Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi.
Though the Jadav thanked Pakistan government for conducting meeting but the Indian External Affairs Ministry accused Pakistan of disregarding cultural and religious sensibilities of the family , under the pretext of security precautions.
The cultural and religious sensibilities of the family were disregarded, under the pretext of security precautions… they were asked to remove their mangal-sutra, bangles and bindi and also change their clothes,” said foreign ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar.
On the other hand Pakistan’s foreign office tweeted photos of the meeting, calling it a “grand gesture”. The roads leading from and to the Pakistan Foreign Office (PFO) building were closed to traffic for the meeting. Walkthrough gates were also installed outside the PFO building amid strict security measures.
Meanwhile amid the war of words between India and Pakistan Foreign Ministry officials, the netizens in Kashmir took to the twitter and Facebook wherein they raised questions about the treatment melted out with the Kashmiri prisoners. They also raised question over the denial of visa to JKLF Chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik’s better half Mushaal Hussein Mullick.
“Pakistan allowed Kulbhushan Jadhav – a convicted spy-to meet with his family but India never allowed a freedom fighter, Yasin Malik, to do same. Is a freedom fighter worse than a spy, asks Mushaal Mullick in a video uploaded on her Facebook profile, adding “a Kashmiri has no right to meet his child, wife.”
“When Pakistan can allow the Family of Jadav sentenced on death for a meeting with his family why India is not allowing the families of Kashmiri prisoners whose charge sheet is not even filed and are lodged in different jails outside India, it speaks the volume of democracy in India,” said Malik Yaseen Hassan a local Rights activist while talking with KNB.
“They at least give Kulbhushan Jadhav a chance to meet his family. Don’t they know that they hanged a son [Afzal Guru] without informing his family & were not given even the mortal remains? What humanity & what human values are they now talking of,” reads a Facebook status of a Kashmir youth Rameez Ul Islam.
“So Indian media is upset that why Pak govt didn’t allow #KulbushanJadhav to hug his mother and wife. Fair enough. But remember Afzal Guru. His mother and wife were not even informed before his hanging by the Indian govt. Hypocrisy,” Tweets a Kashmir based Scribe.
Meanwhile, tensions between India and Pakistan spiraled, with New Delhi crying foul over the treatment of the family of Kulbhushan Jadhav and Islamabad blaming its neighbour for “unprovoked” firing that killed three of its soldiers. (KNB)