The Hizbul Mujahideen on Tuesday released a six-minute video, in which its 21-year-old commander is seen threatening with attacks on the proposed Sainik colonies, if they are set up in Kashmir, reported The Indian Express. “The Hindus of this place, who reside outside, they can come to their homes to stay there. If they stay at places where they have their homes, their land, they will find us as their guards…But these separate Israel-type colonies, this is an Indian conspiracy against us. We will act against them [separate Pandit colonies],” said Burhan Muzaffar Wani.
Wani, however, dismissed rumours that the terror outfit was planning attacks to disrupt the Amarnath Yatra which will start from July. “Recently a BSF officer has said that we are planning to attack the Amarnath Yatra. This is a lie…We have no plans to attack. We will not attack [the Amarnath Yatra]. They come here to perform some religious rituals and we are not against them,” he said.
He warned the J&K Police, and said, the force is pushing them to target policemen, while their fight is against the Indian Army. He said that they will act against "every man in uniform who stands for Indian Constitution". Wani appealed to the youth who want to join his group to get details about every police officer in their area, and pass it on to the militants.
“Don’t harass youth or erect checkposts on roads…India is our real enemy and it wants to pit us against each other…I advise you to turn the barrel of your guns and enter the movement of freedom…,” he added.
The Rajya Sainik Board approved the proposal for a Sainik colonies in Srinagar and Budgam in 2015. Though the Mehbooba Mufti government has said that it has no plans to settle Army personnel in the Valley, the decision has faced widespread criticism from the locals as well as the opposition National Conference. When the proposal was passed, the state was under President's Rule following the demise of former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
On Monday, NC leader Omar Abdullah had a war of words with Mufti in the state Assembly over the issue, reported The Hindu. An ongoing construction work at the Old Air Field in Srinagar has caught the attention of those opposing such colonies in the Valley. However, an Army spokesperson said that the construction has been for the past two years, and it has nothing to do with the proposed colonies.
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