Geelani allowed Friday prayers, clashes at Hyderpora
Srinagar, Mar 30 (KNS): Hours after restrictions were lifted on him, Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani addressed the gathering at Jamia Masjid Hyderpora and asked people to follow the programmes of Joint Resistance Leadership.
The Joint Resistance Leadership comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik. Restrictions were lifted on Geelani on Friday a day after Director General of Police S P Vaid said that Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and Mohammad Yasin Malik “were free to go anywhere they wish to”.
According to this KNS correspondent in his address, Geelani said, “I, with a sincere heart, want to convey that we are yearning for peace and seek peaceful resolution to the long- pending Kashmir issue.”
“India needs to fulfil its promise of giving Kashmiris their right to self-determination to choose their future,” he said.
“We want to remind Indian authorities,” Geelani said that “we are not demanding any part of India be separated but made it clear Jammu & Kashmir is a disputed territory which needs a resolution in accordance with resolutions presented by India itself before UN on January 1948”.
“India is suffering from arrogance of power and is using an imperialistic and forced attitude in disputed territory of J&K,” he said.
Geelani expressed his deep concern over the increasing, waywardness, liquor consumption, drug addiction and other social evils and in his fervent appeal to youth asked to play their effective and pivotal role to help to eradicate this menace from society.
While commenting over the future course of action, Huriyat chairman said that Joint Resistance Leadership will meet in near future to chalk out a fresh strategy.
Geelani was accompanied by newly appointed Tehreek-e-Hurriyat chief Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai and other senior members of Hurriyat. He was taken in form of a procession from his Hyderpora residence to Jamia Masjid Hyderpora.
He asked people to “read and understand” the poetry of Sir Mohammad Iqbal and will help in "freedom movement".
Reacting to Vaid’s statement that trio were “free to go anywhere they wish to as long as they don’t indulge in any anti-national activities”, Geelani said, “I won’t jump on the decision of the government to release me. We will respond it after three days. New strategy will be framed after thorough consultations”.
Taking on the government of India for “backtracking” its promises, which its first prime minister Jawahar Lal Nehru had made with people of Jammu and Kashmir, he said, “there is nothing acceptable than right to self-determination".
"India’s first prime minister had promised that troops will be withdrawn from JK and United Nations is witness to it but they did not fulfill its promises. Army was brought here for a temporarily period but stayed here illegally."
After the Friday prayers, Geelani was taken in a rally to his Hyderpora residence.
Following which clashes between protesters and government forces erupted in Hydepora area of Srinagar.
Protesters mostly youth pelted the government forces deployed in the area with stones who retaliated by firing tear gas shells to disperse the protesters. There was chaos and the traffic was halted on the Airport Road. (KNS)