MUZAFFARABAD, May 21: The Muttahida Jihad Council (MJC), a conglomeration of 15 Kashmiri Mujahideen groups, has asked the people of Kashmir to observe a complete strike on Wednesday when Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is scheduled to arrive in Srinagar.

“We call upon the people of Kashmir to observe a complete strike and stage demonstrations to let the world know one more time that they want to get rid of the illegal Indian occupation of their motherland at all costs,” the MJC said in a statement, issued on Tuesday afternoon before Mr Vajpaee’s arrival in Jammu amid tight security and a tense atmosphere on a three-day visit to the held Kashmir.

“The visit to (the) occupied territory by any Indian leader amounts to rubbing salts into the wounds of the Kashmiris,” it added.

In Srinagar, the Indian premier is expected to hold meetings with political parties on Wednesday and then on Thursday he will preside over a joint meeting of the military chiefs, security advisers and political leaders before returning to New Delhi.

“Whatever brute force India may apply, it cannot break the will of the freedom-seeking Kashmiris. They will continue to express their hatred and disgust for India,” said the MJC.

“Their abhorrence of India and its rulers is evident from the tight security blanket by the Indian authorities on the eve of Mr Vajpayee’s visit.”

The Mujahideen’s alliance claimed that every man, woman and child of Kashmir was determined to overthrowing the illegal Indian rule, because everyone believed that “India is responsible for their miseries.