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Shameema Firdous calls on governor, demands prompt action in Sumbal incident

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Srinagar : Jammu and Kashmir National Conference State women’s wing president Shameema Firdous on Tuesday called on governor Satya Pal Malik at Raj Bhawan, Srinagar and presented him a memorandum demanding prompt delivery of justice into the Sumbal rape incident.

In the memorandum presented to governor, she decried the acts of molestation and other brutalities against women. “I am writing to you at a time when we all are writhing in agony due to the heinous act of rape that was committed on a minor girl in Sumbal, Bandipora. The outrage it has generated within all sections of the society proves that no Kashmiri will tolerate such crimes. We stand in solidarity with the little girl and her family in this hour of extreme pain. We expect that the case is taken to its logical end on a fast track basis and the guilty is punished,” the memorandum reads.

The spokesman said that Party’s provincial president Er Sabiya Qadri also accompanied the Shameema Firdous to Raj Bhawan.

While expressing dismay over the lackadaisical approach on the deliverance of justice in rape and molestation cases, she passionately appealed the state governor to ensure time-bound inquiry into such gruesome incidents. “The horrible act, however, cannot be seen as a one-off incident as such acts against our women folk has seen a spur in recent times in our state. Unfortunately, many victims of sexual violence fail to get timely justice making it easier for the offenders to walk free or in other cases, the case take years altogether to deliver justice to the victims,” she implored.

She insisted on the honorable governor to have such cases as involving heinous crimes against women on a fast track basis. “The example of Kathua rape and murder is a case in point. A brutal, gut-wrenching and horrendous act that still waits for justice. The government, therefore, needs to devise a mechanism wherein such cases are taken up on a fast track basis and justice is delivered without wasting much time,” the memorandum reads.

While demanding a thorough inquiry into the rape of a minor girl in Sumbal, she advocated for exemplary punishment to the offender which should act as a deterrent for the future. “The rape that was committed in Sumbal could have been avoided if the offenders of such crimes would have been meted out with exemplary punishments in the past. To our dismay nothing of that sort seems to be happening in the Kathua case, the family is still waiting for justice. Justice delayed is justice denied, the proverbial assertion is reflective of the situation vis-à-vis our state.”

While highlighting the need of punishing the culprits behind monstrous crimes against women folk and girls, she urged governor have the incident involving rape of a minor girl tried by a fast track court so that justice is delivered and the perpetrator is punished.  She also impressed upon the governor about the inevitability of punishing offenders in Kathua rape and Murder case. Women’s wing president also impressed upon the governor to speed up the inquiry into all such cases where victims of rape and molestation are still awaiting justice.

Meanwhile, political advisor to vice president Tanvir Sadiq has urged the people to uphold the age-old tradition of camaraderie and not fall prey to the malicious propaganda that is aimed to divide the society. “As a rightful thinking society we should all forge unity and let the law take its own course,” he added.

Prominent JKNC Minority wing leader Jagdish Singh Azad condemned the horrific Sumbal incident. Demanding a fast track investigation into the incident, he said, “We are pained with what happened in Sumbal. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim and her family,” adding, “It’s time for the society to take a stand and reject those who are trying to polarize people based on region, religion or ethnicity. We all want justice for the little girl and that the perpetrator should be punished.”

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