Our struggle stronger than army: Separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq

Srinagar: Kashmiri separatists have reacted sharply to Army chief General Bipin Rawat’s remark that neither militants can fight the Army nor will azadi (freedom) happen in the restive state.

Reacting to the Gen. Rawat’s assertions, separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said the longing of people of Kashmir “to be the masters of their own fate is far stronger than any military power”.

“Gen. Rawat’s threat that Army will bomb us like Syria is real but so is the resilience of people to stand by their commitment to achieving the universal right to freedom and self-determination for which they have been struggling for the last 70 years,” he said. JKLF chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik said the Army’s Chief’s remarks were “illogical” and recalled Gandhiji’s reply to a British envoy that he would prefer a non-competent poor independent country over a competent and wealthy illegal occupation and slavery.”