Right before Independence Day, a video went viral on the internet in which a Kashmiri man was seen waving the Indian Tricolour from the balcony of his home. The interesting thing is that the man in the video is Rayees Mattoo, the brother of Hizbul terrorist Javed Mattoo. Javed is an active terrorist associated with the Hizbul Mujahideen terror group and was reportedly among the top 10 targets in the valley on the list of security agencies.
In a viral video, Rayees Mattoo – the brother of active terrorist Javed Mattoo – was seen waving the Tiranga ahead of Independence Day.
— ANI (@ANI) August 14, 2023
(Pic: Screengrab from the viral video) pic.twitter.com/AVxsSX2YDw
A day after the video went viral, Rayees Mattoo told ANI that he waved the Indian flag as the emotions for doing it came from his heart. He categorically asserted that he waved the Indian Tricolour without any pressure from anyone. He further stated that there can’t be a better nation than India, stating “Saare Jahaan se achha, Hindustan hamara”.
Rayees Mattoo said, “I waved the Tiranga as it came from my heart. There was no pressure from anyone. Saare jahaan se achha Hindustan hamara, hum bulbule hain iske ye gulistan hamara.”
#WATCH | Rayees Mattoo says, "I waved the Tiranga from my heart. There was no pressure from anyone…Saare jahaan se achha Hindustan hamara, hum bulbule hain iske ye gulistan hamara. There is development. For the first time I am sitting at my shop on 14th August, it used to be… https://t.co/rWOfMLbTOg pic.twitter.com/hF1yx0P4vI
— ANI (@ANI) August 14, 2023
Mattoo highlighted that things are changing for the good and development is taking place in Kashmir. He said that earlier, they couldn’t open their shops as there used to be frequent announcements of the bandh (shutdown) and all of this happened because the politicians played dirty games with the people.
He also issued a public appeal to his brother, Javed Mattoo, in case he is alive, to come back to the mainstream. He argued that nothing can be achieved through terrorism and stressed that Pakistan is a bankrupt nation and it can do nothing. Further, he categorically asserted that they were and will always remain Indian.
Rayees Mattoo added, “There is development. For the first time I am sitting at my shop on 14th August, it used to be shut for 2-3 days. The previous political parties were playing games…My brother became one (a terrorist) in 2009, we don’t know anything about him after that…If he is alive, I urge him to come back…The situation has changed, Pakistan can’t do anything…Hum Hindustani the, hain, aur rahenge.”
Earlier on Sunday (13 August), the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha flagged off the ‘Tiranga Rally’. The rally started from Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) to the Botanical Garden on the banks of Dal Lake to celebrate ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ ahead of Independence Day.