STATE TIMES NEWS
Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina on Wednesday welcomed the Delhi court’s order awarding life imprisonment to JKLF chairman Yasin Malik in a terror funding case, saying that the separatist leader deserved it for the sins committed against the people and the country .
Raina also lashed out at PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti for speaking against the verdict and said militants are no friends with anyone as is evident that thousands of Muslims, along with members of minority communities like Pandits and Sikhs, were killed by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists.
He (Malik) himself pleaded guilty before the NIA court which has now awarded him the life sentence. We welcome the decision of our judiciary which has always acted in an impartial manner, the BJP leader said.
Raina said there is hardly any family in Kashmir which had not been affected by terrorism. He (Malik) was a sympathiser of Pakistan and its sponsored terrorism. He had committed sins against the people and the country, he said.
He criticised mainstream leaders from Jammu and Kashmir, including former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and said they are sympathizing with Malik, ignoring the fact that the terrorists were involved in killings of a large number of innocent Muslims, besides minority community members.
Raina said the police will take care of those who have come on the roads in Srinagar to protest the court verdict against Malik.
Meanwhile, Nirmal Khanna, wife of slain Indian Air Force squadron leader Ravi Khanna, also welcomed the court verdict against Malik and said she is patiently waiting for the court decision in her case against the JKLF chief .
Ravi was among four IAF personnel who were killed in a terror attack in Srinagar in January 1990 and Malik is one of the accused facing trial in the case.
The case will come up for hearing in July. I have been waiting for justice for the past 32 years. I want blood for blood in this case, Nirmal told reporters at her residence here.
Congratulating the people for the court verdict against Malik, she said it is better late than never. He got the sentence in one case and cannot escape punishment in other cases as well. We should all wait for the court decision.
The wife of slain IAF officer said she is sure that she will get justice from the court.
She also said some people might have got relief over the life sentence awarded to Malik but I am not at peace as I have pledged to myself that I will fight my case till the last breath and ensure that justice is done .
She thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah and said, The previous governments were not willing to proceed against them (separatists). I am sure this government will overcome the shortcomings in the laws to avoid delay in providing justice to the victims.
In a related development, Shiv Sena Dogra Front (SSDF) activists led by Ashok Gupta burst crackers and beat the drums to celebrate the court verdict against Malik in the old city here.
The NIA court by awarding life sentence to Malik conveyed a message that terrorism will not be tolerated. No one will ever think of becoming a terrorist, Gupta said, expressing confidence that the BJP-led government at the Centre and Lt Governor-led administration in Jammu and Kashmir will wipe out terrorism from the Union territory.