New Delhi: Once influenced by radical Jamaat-e-Islami ideology, Bashir Assad is now working for the youth empowerment and preaching the young generation to shun the path of violence in Jammu & Kashmir. Bashir Assad also penned a book named 'K File-The Conspiracy of Silence' highlighting the unabated radicalisation of youths in Jammu & Kashmir.
In his book, he also wrote about the politics being played by a section of politicians in the valley for their 'self-interest'. After writing the book, Assad had to leave Srinagar fearing threat on his life. "I had to shift from Kashmir to Jammu after I exposed everybody through my book... now I have a threat on my life," said Assad in an exclusive interview to ETV Bharat in New Delhi.
Assad was once influenced by the extremist Jamaat-e-Islami ideology soon after passing matriculation. In 1989 when armed militia was at its peak, Assad decided to come out of Jamaat. "I was influenced by Jamaat e Islami ideology. After staying for three years, I came out from that radical ideology. Now, for the last five years I am working for Lehar (an NGO) to teach youths not to take up arms," said Assad.
He said that violence in J&K has now taken its extreme turn after the youths of the region are now being doctrine by the radical organisations including Jamaat. In March this year, Centre had banned Jamaat-e-Islami for a period of five years citing reasons that the outfit was in 'close touch' with militant outfits. The Jamaat-e-Islami was banned under anti-terror laws.
"Many of the youths may not take up arms but they are now unarmed militants who are influenced by militants ideology," said Assad. Referring to the abrogation of Article 370, Assad said, "May be some families (political) were taking advantage of the special status but at the same time it had become the collective conscience of the people of J&K."
He said that with the abrogation of Article 370 there are no middlemen now. "There is no separatist or politician in the middle. Now, either you have to be on this side or the other," said Assad. It is to be noted that Assad is now writing his second book on the abrogation of Article 370 and issues related to it.
