Why were separatists silent when Pak band played, asks Omar Abdullah

In the backdrop of opposition to orchestra conductor Zubin Mehta’s concert in the Valley, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today questioned those opposing the Zubin Mehta concert asking why they were silent when Pakistani band Junoon played in Kashmir.

“How come the concert of Pakistani band Junoon did not suppress any sentiments?” Abdullah told CNN-IBN in an interview.

When he was asked how he would silence the separatists who have been demanding to cancel the concert, he said, “The Zubin Mehta concert is on. Isn’t that enough to silence separatists?”

Abdullah dismissed any possibility of a law and order situation that might arise after the concert is over. He said, " I don’t fear any law and order problems arising out of the Zubin Mehta concert."

He also said that the average Kashmiri was not concerned about the concert and that no politics was attached to it.

In opposition to this concert, that will be largely attended by invited guests, the civil society in Kashmir had planned to hold a counter musical show in the Sher-e-Kashmir lawns that will be open to ordinary citizens of Kashmir. While Zubin Mehta’s show is titled Ehasas-E-Kashmir the other show will be called Haqeeqat-E-Kashmir.

Khurram Parvez, member of the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition for Civil Society said, “In our concert there is nothing against art and culture, it is only art and culture. But through it, we want to remain very vigilant to the sufferings of people of Kashmir and express that suffering of people and pay tribute to the resilience and struggle of Kashmir.”

Abdullah had earlier appealed for calm. “There is no controversy. Music is in our culture and there is no need to do politics over the concert. This is wrong. People who say this will weaken the Kashmir issue are getting it wrong. The issue cannot be diluted by the visit of one individual,” he said.

With agency inputs