KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
Terming the ban on Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (TeH) party convention, arrest of hundreds of Hurriyat activists including Secretary General Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai, use of “brutal and excessive force” against the peaceful sit-in and injuring dozens of the party men as the worst kind of “state terrorism”, Hurriyat (g) chairperson Syed Ali Geelani condemned this police action in strong words.
In a statement issued here on Sunday evening, Geelani said that the “battle of Ideas” and “Goli Nahi Boli” like slogans of Mufti Sayeed proved to be “fraud and to protect his chair, he had surrendered all his authority, his powers and his conscience with the authorities in New Delhi”.
Geelani added, “all the decision with regarding to the pro-freedom people in Kashmir were directly taken by the Indian home ministry and the state government obey these orders like a loyal servant.” He further said that the today’s program of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat was not a public program but it was a closed door convention of the selected party members which could have in no way disturbed the law and order situation but by banning this peaceful program, the government proved that they take decisions out of frustration and their decisions are undemocratic and immoral which have no justifications.
While giving details of the banning of TeH convention and the situation arising out of it, Hurriyat (g) spokesperson said, “TeH had completed all the preparation with regarding to the today’s program and about 1500 party members were expected to attend the event.” Spokesperson said: “We were surprised on Sunday morning when we saw the police and other government forces cordoning the Hyderpora area in such a way as if the India and Pakistan had declared war. Every lane and by lane leading to the Hyderpora office of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat was blocked by the heavy contingent of the police and CRPF personnel and they were stopping everybody passing by the road. The hundreds of party members from Kulgam, Baramulla and Islamabad were detained by the police on the way and were held in different police stations of the districts. But despite all this hundreds of party activists and workers succeeding in reaching the Hyderpora and they decided to held peaceful protest demonstration in the premises of the Hyderpora Jamia Masjid.”
While addressing the people on the occasion, Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Secretary General Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai strongly condemned the government action and said, “by banning the peaceful activities the government is playing a very dangerous game which will have very serious consequences.”
“As soon as the sit-in started, the police attacked the people and used excessive force and baton charge them. On the occasion dozens of Hurriyat activists including Secretary General Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai, Bashir Ahmad Qurashi, Mohammad Ashraf Laya, Syed Imtiyaz Hyder, Salman Yousuf, Zahoor-ul-haq Geelani, Shakir Ahmad, Mohammad Sayed, Mohammad Yaseen (Bijbihara), Muzaffar Ahmad (Tral), Shabir Ahmad Dar, Shabir Ahmad Wani, Mohammad Sikandar and Manzoor Ahmad were arrested and detained at Humhama police station while as hundreds of other party members from different districts of the valley were arrested on the outskirt of Srinagar and were detained in Sadar and other police stations of the district. Dozens of our activists were injured in the tear gas shelling and Lathi-Charge and Ghulam Qadir War Sopore, Abdul Kareem Sopore, Sajad Ahmad, Zaffar Habib Dar Zainakote HMT, Sajad Ahmad Downtown, Master Abdul Gani Dayalgam, Ghulam Hassan Hajam Qazigund, Abdul Gani Bhat Chougle, and Javaid Ahmad Mir Lolab were critically injured,” the Hurriyat (g) statement informed.
According to the spokesperson, dozens of our party men including district president Islamabad Mir Hafizullah, district president Bandipora Rayees Ahmad Mir and Tehsil president Ashiq Hussain were arrested from their houses while as about 35 Hurriyat leaders and activists were detained in the Hyderpora office of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat and they were not allowed to move out.
Terming the action as “beyond ones understanding and unnecessary”, the Hurriyat amalgam spokesperson said, “the SSP Budgam and his subordinate officers met Geelani Sahab on 21 August morning and asked about party program. The police officers were informed that it is not any public program but it is just a gathering of the selected party members and it is being held within the four walls.”
“The police did not show any reservation at that time but on 22 August evening, they called the Hurriyat head office to seek the DC’s permission order for the said program,” the spokesperson said.
“Police were informed that it is not any open public program for which we should seek DC’s permission and secondly we have completed all the preparations in this regard and it is impossible now to cancel the event. But despite all this, police banned our party convention on the Sunday morning and doesn’t allow it to happen,” the statement further said. (KNS)
