Was slain Hizbul commander, Burhan Muaffar Wani, a terrorist or martyr? Well, two right wing parties are fighting it out in trouble-torn Jammu and Kashmir, where he was killed on July 8.
A Mumbai-based right wing political party Shiv Sena Hindustan (SSH) has termed Burhan as “martyr” and called the state government a “terrorist” asking “what the PDP-BJP coalition achieved by killing innocents.’
Addressing media persons in Srinagar on December 22, SSH National Vice president Pandit Rajesh Kasari said that he along with other party activists met people in Kashmir to have firsthand information about ground reality.
During his address, Kasari repeatedly termed Burhan and civilians killed during 2016 unrest as “martyrs”. He asked the “government to pay compensation of Rs 50 lakhs to each victim family.” The party even termed Burhan’s brother Khalid Wani, who was killed by Army, as a “martyr.”
This party sounds exactly opposite of the Shiv Sena.
A week ago, on December 17, Shiv Sena activists staged protests and burnt effigy of chief minister Mehbooba Mufti over the decision to grant exgratia to Burhan’s kin.
Shiv Sena activists, led by senior leader Radhay Maharaj, raised anti-government slogans and blocked the Jammu-Pathankot highway in Kathua. The Shiv Sena says Burhan and his brother were terrorists.
