Situation in J&K is turning from bad to worse, says Geelani
Hardline Hurriyat Conference chairman says curbs are ‘worst type of statesponsored terrorism’
The situation in Jammu and Kashmir is turning from “bad to worse”, chief of the hardline Hurriyat faction, Syed Ali Geelani, said on Sunday. He added that the ruling PDP-BJP coalition’s “brute approach towards (the) resistance camp has evolved an explosive and appalling situation in (the) state”.
In a press statement, Geelani said the PDP has a “submissive approach” for “securing favours from Delhi”.
Geelani added that “they (PDP) have virtually handed over (their) reigns to Jan Sangh cadre and (are) following their dictates with their eyes folded”.
RESTRICTIONS IN PARTS OF SRINAGAR
Meanwhile, authorities on Sunday continued with the restrictions imposed in parts of Srinagar to foil a march by separatists to Eidgah. The march was called to commemorate the death anniversary of Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq, father of moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and another Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Lone.
Farooq was shot dead by unidentified gunmen on May 21, 1990. On the other hand, Lone was gunned down by assailants during a commemoration rally organised for Farooq on the same day in 2002.
Geelani, in his statement, termed the measures imposed by the administration as “worst kind of state-sponsored terrorism”. “They are playing with fire,” Geelani was quoted as saying in the statement.
Most of the separatists leaders, including Mirwaiz, were under house detention on Sunday, while Geelani continues to be under house arrest for a long time now.
The moderate Hurriyat faction, headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in a statement said, “Authorities once again resorted to their standard repressive response of imposing curfew and curbs. They have turned the entire downtown into a military fortress to foil the mass public participation to pay homage to the martyred leaders at the martyrs’ graveyard in Eidgah. The joint resistance leadership of Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik, along with the people, would reconfirm and recommit to the pledge of taking the martyr’s mission and the on-going freedom struggle towards (its) realisation.”
The statement added, “All main roads, lanes and by lanes in these areas were barricaded and blocked by placing rolls of concertina wires to prevent people from moving towards martyrs’ graveyard. The main venue of Eidgah was completely sealed from all directions with hundreds of force’s personnel patrolling the grounds and not allowing anyone to even walk on main road.”
District administration had imposed restrictions in several parts of old Srinagar to prevent any law and order situation in the wake of Hurriyat observing ‘Hafta-e-Shahadat’ (martyrs’ week) to commemorate the death anniversaries of Farooq and Lone.