President Pranab Mukherjee faced silence protest in his three-day visit to Kashmir Valley by leaders of separatist organisations on Thursday. They were demanding for granting clemency to December 13, 2001 parliament attack main accused Afzal Guru and unconditionally resolving the Kashmir matter, sources said.
According to sources, protesters gathered in the main market area of the city and silently protested demanding mercy for Guru.
In the sit-in protest, the demonstrators were holding black flags and holding banners reading 'capital punishment should be abolished' and 'unconditionally resolve Kashmir Issue'.
Independent legislator Engineer Rasheed, who led the protest, criticised Mukherjee's stay in a posh hotel in Srinagar, when innocent locals are being tortured elsewhere in the state and country.
"We want tell to the President that Kashmir is not confined his five-star hotel suite with his high security and just attending convocation at the Kashmir University and spending three-four hours in the valley. But we want to assert that Kashmir extends from Tangdhar to Lakhimpur where everyday, innocent Kahmiris undergo atrocities, people are dying, but the Indian government is not moved and not paying heed to these matters," he said.
"This is our humble request to the President of India that Afzal Guru's clemency plea should be accepted, which is in favour of both the Indian government, as well as Kashmir," he added.
Rasheed also demanded to free thousands of Kashmiris who are allegedly locked up in the jails since so many years, as they are innocent and have committed no crime.
Mukherjee arrived on a three-day visit to the state on Wednesday, amid high security and a state-wide shutdown call by separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani.
He is scheduled to attend the 18th annual convocation of University of Kashmir today. It is Mukherjee's first visit to Kashmir as President after assuming his office.
--With ANI Inputs--
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