Braid Chopping: Naeem Akhtar speaks up, asks others to speak up

Srinagar, Oct 20: Senior PDP leader and Works Minister Naeem Akhtar Friday broke his silence about the increasing incidents of braid chopping.
In a long Facebook post, he said: “Whether braid chopping is real or hysterical, physical or psychological one thing has become clear, we as a people are the worst posters of what we claim to be-Kashmiris or Muslims.”
Akhtar further posted: “Neither Kashmir’s ethos nor the teachings of the religion that we claim to be following allows, much less recommend the kind of behaviour that we display.”
He was referring to the incident of Sopore where a mentally challenged man was beaten up on the suspicion for being a braid chopper.
Akhtar added: “The political position from where I operate currently would obviously invite questions about my own role. But that will only be an argument. It won’t solve the problem. Neither would arguing resolve the severe moral crisis facing us. It is a millstone around OUR neck and we alone can and must throw it away. You, me and every Kashmiri.”
He said, “No braid chopper has been apprehended so far. But numerous innocent persons have become the victims of our collective criminal behaviour. The Sopore incident, bone chilling as it is, is only the latest. We are only proving those people right who want us painted black. Having reached here in our disastrous moral descent we will need no one to argue against us. And of course no one can argue in our favour too. Unless we introspect and speak up. SPEAKUP.” (KNS)