If somebody dominated the scene in 2010 at individual level it was Syed Ali Geelani, the ailing octogenarian who is often termed as the extreme reference point on Kashmir.
Being in detention is nothing new for the man who had jail as his second home throughout his political career. But 2010 added a new line to his already long profile – being detained at home for a record time.
Geelani was arrested from Kupwara on June 20 when Srinagar started simmering in anger over the Tufail Matoo killing. He was shifted to a tourism development corporation hut in Cheshma Shahi that is routinely being declared as sub jail exclusively for him. Doctors who have attended him said the hut is just the routine kind that is heavily fenced around using tarpaulin which makes even seeing Dal lake impossible. Though newspapers would be given to him but the authorities would ensure that no statement is issued out of the sub-jail.
As the situation in Kashmir deteriorated, authorities decided to set him free. When he refused to come out on parole, officials read it to him in SKIMS and withdrew the guard. Post-release he decided to go against the current and preached against any kind of violence during the protests. He made some visits within the city and spoke to many congregations over phone. But once the violence stopped, he was put under house arrest.
Barring his four days visit to Delhi during which he spoke to a seminar along with Arundhati Roy for which he earned an FIR, he continues to be under house arrest. It has already crossed 115 days. Barring Ayaz Akabr, interestingly all his lieutenants are behind bars, mostly under Public Safety Act. Ashraf Sehraie, one of his party’s senior leaders is reported to have lost his sense of hearing.
For the first time in last many years, Geelani skipped his routine of spending winter in Delhi. Interestingly, the government has started creating a record in keeping its ideological opponents detained at home when the dictatorships like that in Myanmar have hinted at rethinking by setting free Aung San Suu Kyi.
But many in government think that they are on the right track by keeping him (Geelani) restricted to his home because he was directly or indirectly responsible for paralyzing Kashmir this summer. “But there are no restrictions on his interactions with the people and press at home,” quipped one police officer.
