Yasin Malik, jailed Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief, on Friday (April 4) said in the Supreme Court of India that he was a ‘political leader’ and not a ‘terrorist’ and claimed that seven Prime Ministers had engaged in a dialogue with him in the past. Appearing via video-conferencing before a bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan, Yasin Malik referred to the submission of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), that there were photos of him alongside terrorist Hafiz Saeed and it was covered by all national and regional dailies and television channels. “This statement has created a public narrative against me. The union government has not listed my organisation as a terrorist organisation under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). It is pertinent to note that post a unilateral ceasefire in 1994, I was not only provided bail in 32 cases but none of the cases were pursued,” Malik said.
Malik added, “During the dispensation of Prime Ministers PV Narasimha Rao, HD Deve Gowda, Inder Kumar Gujral, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Dr Manmohan Singh and even the first five years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They all followed the letter of ceasefire. Now suddenly, the present dispensation in its second term has started the trial of 35-year-old militant cases against me. This is against the very ceasefire agreement.”
Mehta argued that the ceasefire was of no relevance in the present case. The bench said it was not adjudicating the merits of the case and only deciding whether he should be allowed to cross-examine witnesses virtually. Malik said he was replying to the CBI’s argument that he could not be physically produced before the Jammu Court as he was a dreaded terrorist.
