Riyaz Ul Khaliq
SRINAGAR
Hurriyat (G) chairman, Syed Ali Geelani on Thursday called for a complete shutdown on June 25, when Indian Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh will be visiting Kashmir to remind him of promises made by Indian leaders in the past.
Geelani said that India is trying to malign Kashmir’s “freedom” movement by giving it a communal color. He said that the annual Amarnath Yatra has been going for last 150 years and there is no threat to it as propagated by the Indian establishment.
“We want to remind Indian PM on his upcoming visit to Jammu and Kashmir of the promises made by India’s founding fathers for which Kashmiris have offered sacrifices of six lakh people,” Geelani told during a press conference at his uptown residence-cum-office in Hyderpora during his continuous house arrest. “We call for a general strike on Indian Prime Minister’s scheduled visit on 25 of June,” Geelani announced.
Police personnel deployed on the outer gate of Geelani’s residence allowed the media persons only after noting down their names.
Geelani said that if India claims to be the largest democracy in the world then it should allow Kashmiris Right to Self Determination. “Even P Chidambaram said in 2010 that Kashmir is a problem of broken promises,” he added.
He said that the launch of different scholarship schemes and projects like Umeed can’t replace the aspirations of people of Kashmir. “Indians should know that Britain also took many development projects in hand while it illegally held India. But such schemes could not make people forget their wishes and aspirations.”
Geelani blamed Indian establishment for creating an atmosphere of “threat” and insecurity in Kashmir before annual Yatra commences just to malign Kashmir’s “freedom” movement. “Indian troops can go to any extent to serve their national interest,” Geelani said.
Pertinently, the union home minister, Sushil Kumar Shinde, had said on Wednesday, that the Yatra is facing a militant threat. “There is terror threat to Amarnath Yatra,” Shinde had told reporters in New Delhi, Yesterday.
“Kashmiris have always welcomed Yatris and tourists. Nobody has made them insecure or threatened as blamed by the GOI. The history of Kashmir’s hospitality will be written in golden words,” Geelani said adding, “We cannot forget Chattissingpora massacre in which 35 Sikh brethren were massacred just to present Kashmiri freedom movement as a communal one. Indian forces stationed in Kashmir can go to any extent to please their bosses.”
Geelani also demanded that the Amarnath shrine board should be handed over to Kashmiri Pandits and Yatra period should be limited to some days. “Gangotri Yatra is conducted in a disciplined manner with number of days decided keeping in mind the fragile environment of the place. Why government can’t reduce Amarnath yatra’s duration to 15 days and save the over burdened environment? ”
With around 16,000 yatris expected to visit the holy cave daily during 55 day long Yatra, Geelani showed his concern and said that the unchecked flow of Yatris put the lives of pilgrims in danger and tragedies like Uttrakhand can’t be averted.
Geelani said that the purpose to send such a large number of Yatris in Kashmir is to scare locals who already live under the fear of gun. “They (GOI) want to boost their troops’ morale so that they can continue human rights violations in Kashmir.”
Referring to JKLF Chief Yasin Malik, Geelani condemned the government for not allowing him to distribute relief to earthquake victims in Chenab Valley. “It is the highest form of fascism,” Geealni said.
Referring to a recent incident in Kashmir University where some students refused to stand up when Indian national anthem was played during a function attended by Chief Justice of India, Syed Ali Geelani said that the movement has got transferred to intellect youth of Kashmir and whenever they get a chance they show their animosity to Indian establishment.
Hurriyat (G) chairman also lashed out at civil and police administration for allegedly not respecting and responding the court orders.
“98 Kashmiris are languishing in different jails under PSA. The courts here frequently quash their PSAs but civil and police administration doesn’t respect these orders. This shows the lawlessness prevailing in J&K state,” he alleged.
