Srinagar: Moderate Hurriyat Conference on Friday demanded strict action against former health minister of Jammu and Kashmir Shabir Ahmad Khan, who is facing charges of sexual assault, and the constitution of an "impartial" inquiry commission to look into infamous sex scandal that rocked the state in 2006.
"The rulers in Jammu and Kashmir are not only involved in the destruction of lives and property of the people, but are weak in character and morality and are responsible for fanning the trends of waywardness at the government level. Rather than punishing the minister for his crime, he was absolved of it.
"We demand constitution of an impartial inquiry commission to look into the 2006 sex scandal and severe punishment to all those involved in the scandal as well as to Khan," Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq said, addressing a Friday congregation at Jamia Masjid here.
Mirwaiz said the commissions of inquiry constituted by government have lost relevance and demanded an impartial commission to look into all the cases from the 2006 sex scandal to sexual assault of a lady doctor by Khan as well as into the incidents of Pathribal, Chattisingpora and Machchil.
"We demand inquiry into the bloody incidents of Pathribal, Chattisinghporan and Machchil fake encounter and all such tragic and shameful incidents. Kashmiris will not forget such incidents and will continue their fight for justice till the goal is achieved," he said.
The Hurriyat chairman said the people of Kashmir can tolerate force and human rights violations, but attacks on chastity were intolerable.
He said the present government has "broken all records of corruption and immorality" and those people whom Kashmiris want to be tried in courts are sitting in legislative assembly and busy in "wheel-dealing politics".
"There is no justification of the present ruling establishment to remain in power when they are themselves involved in such shameful acts," he said.
Mirwaiz appealed to Jammu and Kashmir High Court to take suo-moto notice of such shameful acts and also called upon religious leaders to play their role to stop moral degradation and waywardness in the society.
Criticisng Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for announcing that the government would approach court over closure of Pathribal case by army, Mirwaiz said the statement was "misleading" and "state administration should answer why the culprits behind the killings in 2008 and 2010 were not produced in courts till yet?"
