Wali Mohmmad Itoo (died 18 March 1994) was a Kashmiri politician, the leader of the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference , Advocate , former Minister of Revenue , Minister of Home Affairs and the former Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly , He represented Noraabad Constituency 4 times in legislative assembly. He was assassinated on 18 March 1994, soon after the Friday Prayer.
Wali Mohammad Itoo | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Speaker of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 7 July 1983 – 31 July 1984 | |
| Minister of Home Affairs, Government of J&K | |
| In office 1983–1988 | |
| Minister of Revenue Department, Government of J&K | |
| In office 1977–1982 | |
| Personal details | |
| Died | 18 March 1994 Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India |
| Political party | Jammu and Kashmir National Conference |
| Education | Aligarh Muslim University (M.A. LLB) |
Biography edit
Itoo, whose father was a landowner in Kashmir, went into politics as a member of the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference, eventually rising to become leader of the party and the state's revenue minister.[1] He was also appointed the speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly on 7 July 1983.[2] In the first month of his tenure, the twenty-three representatives from the opposition Indian National Congress (INC) party felt he was unduly partisan in his actions and began a dharna (peaceful demonstration) against him; Itoo decided to suspend the INC representatives.[3] A year later, after the National Conference had been reduced to a minority after a split, Itoo was removed as speaker on 31 July 1984.[2]
After the Kashmir insurgency began in the late 1980s, Itoo became a target because the National Conference was pro-India. His house in Kashmir was twice grenaded and so he moved his family, consisting of his wife Sitara and five daughters, back to Jammu.[1] Itoo was one of few Conference politicians who were willing to actively work in public despite the threats to their lives: six legislators were assassinated between 1989 and 1992, while militants opened fire on crowds and bombed civilians in early 1994.[4]
On 18 March 1994, he was assassinated in the Talab Khatikan district after exiting a mosque which he had attended for Friday prayers. The assassins, with orders to assassinate all pro-India politicians, walked up to him in the crowded street and shot him at point-blank range. Five men were later arrested.[4][5] After a condolence meeting was held in Jammu, attended by internal security minister Rajesh Pilot, his body was flown to Awantipora for a burial.[4]
Itoo's brother, who was also involved in politics, was subsequently killed in 2001. Itoo's second daughter Sakina, who was studying to become a doctor at the time of his death, became a politician and minister for the National Conference. She has survived over 20 assassination attempts.[1][5]
References edit
- ^ a b c Gezari, Vanessa (2 October 2002). "The family business could kill her". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ a b Malhotra, G. C. (2004). Cabinet Responsibility to Legislature: Motions of Confidence and No-confidence in Lok Sabha and State Legislatures. New Delhi: Lok Sabha Secretariat. pp. 430–431. ISBN 978-8-1200-0400-9.
- ^ "July 24, 1983, Forty Years Ago". Indian Express. 24 July 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ a b c "Itoo's killing squelches chances off encashing Geneva victory in Kashmir". India Today. 15 April 1994. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ a b "NC pays tributes to Itoo but leaders lack guts to condemn terrorists". earlytimes.in. 19 March 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2024.