the freedom struggle of Kashmir is sacred for us. It is our love and faith and not a business. Sections of Indian media which thrive on sensationalism and yellow journalism are trying to portray Kashmir’s liberation struggle as run by an army of mercenary youth and activists. Indian State has invested billions of rupees in its Kashmiri lackeys and in Sadbhavana operations, to what the Indian army refers to as the WHAM doctrine or Winning Hearts and Minds, but the unrelenting and undying resistance of Kashmiri masses is a proof of the constant failure of India’s Machiavellian politics to subjugate the Kashmiri nation. Addressing a large gathering of Kashmiri journalists today, JKLF Chairman stated, “I continue to live in a small two bedroom house of my parents and do not hold any other assets. I challenge the Indian media and the Indian intelligence agencies like the NIA to disprove my claim. In case they are able to prove any claim of corruption against me, I will give up resistance politics for good” Recounting today’s incident of India’s yellow journalist, Kanwal Sandhu’s forcible entry in his bedroom, Yasin Malik said, “The journalist had not sought prior appointment to meet him and she started throwing a barrage of questions when she suddenly appeared at the entrance of his bedroom. Despite my insistence that she switch off her mobile and leave my house, she was hell bent on interviewing me forcibly. To hide her undignified and rude behavior, shorn of any journalistic ethics, the journalist wrongly accused me of assaulting her. Yasin Malik further stated that after the incident he filed an F.I. R at Maisuma Police Station against the said journalist for forcible entry and unbecoming conduct. This incident is reflective of the diabolical role that Indian media has played to undermine Kashmiri resistance. A big section of Indian media, particularly T.V news channels, have embarked on a malicious propaganda war to demonize Kashmiris and their sacred freedom struggle. This propaganda war is an effort to give legitimacy to Indian colonial control of Kashmir. Goebbels’s children and instruments of the Indian State want the people of India to believe that Kashmiri youth, students and resistance activists and leaders are mercenaries. The Indian media wants its people to believe that Kashmiris have sacrificed their lives, their eyes and limbs for a meager 500 rupees. Commenting on the recent Sting Operation done by India Today Channel, Yasin Malik said that people involved in the operation will speak for themselves. However, the incident is being used to malign the whole resistance movement. One person from the team involved in the Sting Operation had approached me saying that some Indian people wanted to give financial support to the Kashmiri resistance and for that they wanted to give me funds. I asked the person as to why would Indian people finance Kashmiri resistance? Hearing my response he left, never to return.
Malik further stated that Indian media wants their countrymen and the world to believe that Kashmiri nation is a nation of mercenaries but we want to tell them that but for a small elite and an opportunistic fraction of middle classes, Kashmiris across classes are sacrificing and struggling for realization of Azadi and the sacred sentiment of Azadi has always triumphed over India’s material inducements in Kashmir. Indian media in order to defame the Kashmiri liberation struggle are raising question about children of leaders like Syed Ali Shah Geelani, a leader who has devoted his whole life to the cause of Azadi. Likewise, they have raised questions about the little daughter of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who is yet to join school. Questions are also being raised about children of Asiya Andarbi, whose husband, Dr. Qasim has been in jail for the last 25 years, and herself has been shifted to Amphala jail in Jammu. Yasin Malik further affirmed that repression, threats, malicious propaganda and subterfuge will not be able to intimidate or mislead Kashmiris, a nation whose ideal and hero remains a towering figure like Maqbool Bhat.