On Wednesday, the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) called Yasin Malik’s life sentence in a terror funding case “unfortunate,” saying the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court had “delivered verdict, but not justice.” In a statement, the Gupkar alliance, which is campaigning for Jammu and Kashmir’s autonomy by restoring the special status, expressed concern that the court’s decision will further alienate the people of Kashmir.
“Yaseen Malik’s sentence to life in prison is unfortunate and a setback for peace efforts. We are concerned that this will exacerbate the region’s insecurity and fuel more alienation and separatist sentiments.”, Statement read.
“The BJP’s triumphalism, as well as that of the corporate media, is bound to backfire,” the report concluded.
According to the Gupkar alliance, Malik should pursue all legal options to overturn the verdict.
A Delhi court sentenced Malik to life in prison for waging war against the state on Wednesday, saying that his crimes struck at the heart of India’s idea but that they didn’t fall into the “rarest of rare” category.
Under Section 121 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 17 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, the Jammu & Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) leader was sentenced to life in prison (UAPA). The convict was also fined a total of Rs. 10.65 lakh by the court under various sections.
The NIA had sought the death penalty for the separatist leader who was convicted on May 19, but the court ruled that they didn’t qualify as “rarest of rare” crimes.
“The manner in which the crime was committed, as well as the weapons used in the crime, led me to the conclusion that the crime in question would fail the Supreme Court’s test of the rarest of rare cases,” NIA judge Praveen Singh said.
Malik was linked to a number of killings in the Valley, but he later became involved in government outreach efforts.
