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Syed Ali Geelani
A file picture of Syed Ali Geelani after being freed from house detention last year.

Veteran pro-freedom leader Syed Ali Geelani who spent roundabout four years under house detention during Omar Abdullah led government in Jammu and Kashmir, was a freeman for only two days in four months during PDP-BJP rule in the State.

“I arrived from New Delhi on 15 April and since then I have seen the outside world for just two days. On May 1 (Friday) after giving a slip to police I managed to reach South Kashmir’s Tral town where I addressed a massive pro-freedom rally after Friday prayers. After that I was allowed to venture out from my house when I visited the pass port office Srinagar. Except these days, I have been continuously under house detention since April 15 till date,” Geelani told CNS.

Hurriyat (g) spokesperson, Ayaz Akbar said that Geelani was barred 16 times from offering Friday congregational prayers since April 15. “Geelani Sahab has been suffering from different ailments and there is no reason for keeping him under house arrest. During Omar Abdullah’s government, Geelani Sahab was free only when he visited outside state. He spent four years in house detention during previous government. In November 2013, then government released Geelani Sahab to check the mood of the people and when large number of people attended the pro-freedom rallies in different parts of Kashmir, the government again placed him under house detention and did not allow him to organize a ‘Million-March’ that Geelani Sahab was mulling to organize in Srinagar,” Ayaz Akbar said.

Lashing out at People’s Democratic Party led government, Akbar said that they are no different from previous regime. “There is no difference. Their promises are big lies;” he said adding that such “repressive measures will not weaken the ongoing freedom struggle.”

He said that it is the grave human rights violation to keep an ailing octogenarian leader continuously confined with the four walls of the house. “History will never forgive and forget the rule of Indian sponsored governments of Jammu and Kashmir. Once in opposition, the Indian politicians in Kashmir act as lambs and once in power they turn out to be wolves ready to pounce on ailing leader (Geelani) to appease their masters in New Delhi.

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