16071977 The statement issued to the Press by Prem Nath Bazaz, spokesman Jammu and Kashmir Janata Party on July 16, 1977

 The statement issued to the Press by Prem Nath Bazaz, spokesman Jammu and Kashmir Janata Party on July 16, 1977

"Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, Chief Minister of Kashmir, and some of his colleagues have censured rowdyism and claimed that peaceful conditions have been restored in the Valley. But the fact remains that lawlessness prevails in the area, hooligans continue to be at work unrestricted and the average citizen, especially those who worked or voted for Janata candidates in the elections, are harassed by all means and, therefore, feel terror-striken in different places, particularly in Srinagar.

"I enclose three lists giving complete details of 22 Janata offices attacked or captured, of 53 shops looted or forcibly shut down and of 85 families who were compelled to leave their hearth and home and take shelter in those localities which are free from danger of molestation. When her grown up daughter was dragged from her house in Zaindar Mohallah, one Muslim lady, Mrs. Halwai, died of heart failure.

'Although over two lakhs of persons cast their votes for Janata in the valley and scores of Janata offices functioned in all the forty-two constituencies before the polls, National Conference leaders are determined to uproot all that stands for Janata and silence the supporters of Janata and democracy once and for all, by means fair or foul.

"It is clear that the National Conference leaders either do not mean what they say about curbing their riff-raff followers or else they are unable to bring miscreants under control who, once aroused, have adopted a rebellious attitude. Sheikh Abdullah thinks that by merely praising the Central Janata leadership, Prime Minister Morarji Desai in particular, the miseries of the Kashmiris will not be taken notice of and full support will be accorded to his government while Kashmir Janata is groaning under unprecedented atrocities.

"It is the moral and constitutional responsibility of the Central Government to make on the spot sifting enquiries of the gruesome happenings in the Valley during the past month and to take immediate action to set the matters right and restore confidence of the people."