Masarat Alam: J&K separatist who has 'anti-India written in his blood'

Masarat Alam, one of the most dreaded separatists of the Valley was ordered to be released by the Jammu and Kashmir high court only to be re-arrested in a matter of a few hours.

Srinagar, Dec 30: In April 2015 a senior official from Jammu and Kashmir had said separatist Masarat Alam should be tried and convicted failing which he will keep coming out of jail only to be re-arrested. The officer was not wrong. Alam, one of the most dreaded separatists of the Valley was ordered to be released by the Jammu and Kashmir high court only to be re-arrested in a matter of a few hours.

Alam was to fill in the vacuum that has been created with the popularity of Syed Ali Shah Geelani fading. Alam is known for fanning an anti-Indian sentiment. When he was detained in 2015, his detention order read, "This man has anti-India written in his blood."

The man who has anti-India written in his blood:

Alam's anti-India sentiments are well known to all. He is considered second only to Syed Geelani when it comes to fanning such sentiments. He is the one who had written a song called 'Bharat ko de ragda' which means stamp India out.

Alam is also famous for painting the walls of Kashmir with anti India messages and the most popular one was Go India Go. It is almost 20 years now since he has been undertaking this tirade and over the years he has grown from strength to strength. Alam, 43, was first arrested when he was 20 as he had declared open support to the armed struggle of 1989 against India. That was the first time that the Public Safety Act was slapped on him. He then remained in jail until 1996.

In June 2014, an order by the deputy commissioner of Sringar which slapped the Public Safety Act against him read, "The hardline separatist has anti India sentiment in his blood." This order was issued in a bid to stop street violence that occurred in 2008 and 2010. After his release in 1996, he joined the Muslim League and was very vocal in his views that Kashmir should be part of Pakistan.

Since then, there have been at least 27 cases against him which include attempt to murder and sedition. As a part of the Hurriyat, he raised the Amarnath land issue for the first time in 2008. He had opposed tooth and nail the decision to grant forest land for the Amarnath pilgrimage.

He was immediately arrested and then released in 2010. The year 2009 witnessed massive street protests in the Valley. The protests continued the next year and after his release from jail, he only joined the movement and fanned the sentiments against India further.

This was the same time that he had penned the 'ragda' song. The street protests resulted in over 110 deaths. The protests had left India extremely worried as it was seen as a situation going back to square one after all the efforts that were put in to restore peace.

OneIndia News