Politics

Pro-pak Kashmiri Separatist bracketed with women achievers in a J&K govt poster

Question marks were also raised by other politicians how patriotic BJP -PDP allowed publication of this poster.

October 13, 2017

Asiya Andrabi 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' poster

Update on this post:

Asiya Andrabi not a role model: Sajjad Lone

Reacting to the publication of this poster Minister for Social Welfare Sajjad Gani Lone Thursday said that an unfortunate incident of mishandling of Publicity campaign on “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” took place in Anantnag, wherein the picture of separatist Asiya Andrabi was displayed on hoardings along with distinguished women achievers of the country.

Lone said the publicity wing works in a decentralized format and CDPOs devise their own publicity campaign which does not require the approval of the higher authorities.

“The CDPO in question has committed a grievous error of judgment by including Asiya Andrabi in the list of distinguished women achievers of the country,” he said in a statement issued here.

Lone said that in any case the department unambiguously states that Asiya Indrabi is not a role model neither for the women of Jammu and Kashmir nor elsewhere in the world.

“She at best is an aberration, representing the aimless fringe afflicting societies across the world. The person responsible for this goof up has been immediately placed under suspension and an enquiry has been ordered against her for the misconduct,” he added.

Original Post

The use of Asiya Andrabi’s image alongside women icons has embarrassed the BJP-PDP alliance government in the state.

Mother Teresa, who was declared Saint by Pope Francis at Vatican in September 2016, Wednesday found herself in an unusual company of a known Kashmiri separatist, Asiya Andrabi on a king size poster of state government at a Tourism festival in Kokernag.

The poster originally prepared by Child Development Project Officer, ICDS Project, Breng, in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district was displayed at a Tourism festival on Wednesday.

Soon after the picture of Asiya Andrabi was spotted alongside other women icons including IAS/IPS toppers from Kashmir, Kashmiri poetess Haba Khatoon it went viral on various social media platforms.

Her husband Ashiq Hussain Faktoo was one of the founding members of Hizbul Mujahideen militant outfit.

The use of Asiya Andrabi’s image alongside women icons such as former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, former IPS officer Kiran Bedi, J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, sports icons Sania Mirza, Astronaut Kalpana Chawla has also embarrassed the BJP-PDP alliance government in the state.

Question marks were also raised by Congress spokespersons and other politicians how patriotic BJP and her alliance partners Peoples Democratic Party allowed publication of this poster. Cornered by the adverse publicity campaign the poster attracted in less than 24 hours the state government may order a high-level probe to unmask those responsible for the goof up.

The BJP leaders too had to cut a sorry figure as they could not defend the publication of posters with the image of Asiya Andrabi bracketed alongside women achievers.

Who is Asiya Andrabi ?

Asiya Andrabi is chief of women’s separatist group ‘Dukhtaran-e-Milat’ (Daughters of Faith). Her husband Ashiq Hussain Faktoo is serving a jail term since 1992. He was one of the founding members of Hizbul Mujahideen militant outfit.