AT FIRST RALLY AFTER HIS RELEASE, GEELANI SETS THE ‘POLL BOYCOTT
CAMPAIGN’ ROLLING: POSTED BY HABIB YOUSAFZAI, KASHMIR DIASPORA ALLIANCE
ASSALAM-O-ALAIKUM!
‘Mainstream parties serving New Delhi’s cause in
Kashmir’
Sopore, Nov 1: Hitting out at mainstream
political parties in Jammu and Kashmir for “suppressing sentiments of Kashmiris
and exploiting natural assets to make them dependent”, the Chairman of Hurriyat
Conference (G) Syed Ali Geelani Friday kicked-off anti-poll campaign from his
hometown Sopore in north Kashmir. This was Geelani’s first public rally after
his release from house-detention. “I make a fervent
appeal to people of Sopore to boycott elections and uphold sacrifices of
martyrs who laid their lives for respect, identity and dignified future of
Kashmiris,” Geelani said, addressing a mammoth gathering at main Sopore market.
Geelani who was released after nearly eight months of his house arrest
travelled to Sopore in a cavalcade. Though police tried to intercept his
cavalcade enroute Sopore, his supporters foiled the attempts.
Thousands of people including women accorded warm
reception to Geelani when he reached the Apple Town. After offering the
congregational Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid here, Geelani led a massive
procession towards the main market. “Over one lakh Kashmiris
sacrificed their lives for the just cause; thousands of youth are languishing
in jails; people are reeling under suppression for taking the ongoing movement
to its logical conclusion and not for participating in elections,” he
said. Geelani said the only objective of all mainstream parties including
National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party, Peoples Conference, Congress and
the recently-formed Third Front is “to help Government of India and Army to
suppress sentiments of Kashmiris and ongoing movement for right to
self-determination".“These parties will
come to you for votes but you should remain cautions not to fall in their
trap,” Geelani said, as people reciprocated with pro-freedom slogans. Geelani
strongly rejected the allegations that he was released to favour a particular
mainstream party in elections through poll boycott. “The fact is since my
arrival from New Delhi in March 7 this year, I have been continuously kept
under house arrest which is totally illegal and unjustified. Today, many of our
leaders were put under house arrest and police blocked routes to Sopore to
prevent people from participating in my rally. I want to maintain that all
these parties are serving New Delhi’s cause in Kashmir. My poll boycott
campaign is meant for all political parties and I appeal people to make it
successful,” he said.
Geelani alleged that a “conspiracy”
has been hatched to make Kashmiris dependent on Government of India. “And
pro-India politicians have been facilitating the evil designs of New Delhi,” he
said. “We are gradually
losing our agricultural land and forests on the pretext of laying railway lines
and other constructions purposes. Army has occupied 5200 kanals of land in
Shopian for construction of a Cantonment. For this, three to four lakh trees
would be cut. Similarly, 856 kanals of land have been occupied for setting up
another cantonment at Bijbehera. Army claims it has purchased the land from
then Chief Minister Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah in 1980,” Geelani alleged. “Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah had
leased Tosmaidan land to Army. Now his grandson Omar Abdullah (Chief Minister)
says he is considering extending this lease which is expiring next year.
Whether it is National Conference or Third Front, all these parties are working
to safeguard New Delhi’s interests. These parties cannot assume or remain in
power without support of Army and Police,” he said. He castigated the PDP patron
Mufti Muhammad Sayeed for his recent statement demanding 40 seats in Assembly
elections “for resolution of Kashmir issue under Indian Constitution.”
“We strongly reject any solution to
the dispute under Indian Constitution. India’s first Prime Minister Pandit
Jawahar Lal Nehru promised plebiscite to Kashmiris at historic Lal Chowk in
Srinagar. Even the United Nations resolution of Kashmir guaranteed Kashmiris
this inalienable right,” he said. Geelani slammed the
United Nations for failing to facilitate Kashmir resolution. “While the UN has
facilitated resolution of many disputes, it seems to be struck by inertia on
Kashmir,” he said. He also accused the government of trying to “divide
Kashmiris on religious and sectarian lines.” “26500
Village Defence Committee (VDC) members mostly hindus with BJP and RSS
mentality have been deputed in Muslim-dominated areas in Jammu to crush their
sentiments. We decry such tactics and appeal people to forge unity to foil
conspiracies to divide them,” he said, referring to Kishtwar incident of
August.
Geelani hailed the resilience and
sacrifices of people of Palhalan, Pattan towards the ongoing movement. "I
urge the youth to show resilience and maintain discipline to take the movement
to its logical conclusion," he said.
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