The radical women separatist group `Dukhtaran-e-Milat' calls for the merger of J&K with Pakistan
Defying the warnings of General Bipin Rawat, scores of burqa-clad women unfurled the Pakistani flag and sang Pakistan's national anthem to celebrate Pakistan Day in the militancy-plagued Kashmir valley.
Organised by the radical women separatist group `Dukhtaran-e-Milat' (DeM), the participants sang jihadi anthems and called for the merger of Jammu and Kashmir with Pakistan.
The burqa-clad women were seen waiving the Pakistani flag and singing the national anthem of the neighbouring country on stage. A few children dressed in green and white (representing Pakistan's flag) were also up on the stage. Later, a group of young women took over the podium and sang Jihadi songs eulogising militants and disparaging the security forces operating in Kashmir.
The venue was kept confidential to prevent police raids. However, the event seemed to have been organised at a huge enclosure, accommodating a large number of women activists. The area was decorated with the banners demanding freedom and merger of Kashmir with Pakistan.
Information about the celebration came to light much later, only after the DeM circulated videos of the function on social media and WhatsApp groups in a bid to reach out to a wider audience. "We have assembled here despite the environment not being conducive for us. We wanted to propagate our solidarity with Pakistan and tell the world that Muslims of J&K want to live and die with their brethren in Pakistan," said Aaasiya Andrabi, Chairperson, DeM.
The celebration of Pakistan day by DeM activists comes against the backdrop of warnings being issued against those who unfurl flags of ISIS and Pakistan, by General Bipin Rawat.
"We would now request the local population that people who have picked up arms, and they are the local boys — if they want to continue with these acts of terrorism, displaying flags of ISIS and Pakistan, then we will treat them as anti-national elements and go helter-skelter for them," General Rawat had said last month.
DeM's defiance has angered the ruling BJP, which has called for sedition charges to be slapped on the group for unfurling Pakistan's flag. "Our agencies will trace them out. We will punish them for this act of sedition. This cannot be tolerated," said Ravinder Raina, BJP MLA from Nowshera.
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