Geelani blames people for damaging 2008 uprising

SYED ALI SAFVI

SRINAGAR, June 19: Chairman Hurriyat Conference (G), Syed Ali Geelani, has blamed people of Kashmir for playing spoilsport after mass uprising of 2008 Amarnath land row.

“During 2008 uprising, almost entire Kashmir community took to streets and expressed their commitment for the cause,” he said while addressing a public gathering at Posha Nag, Kreeri in north Kashmir today. “But they spoiled all the hard work by casting votes in the Assembly elections.”

Paying rich tributes to two militants killed in an encounter with Army at Kreeri yesterday, Geelani said Kashmir has sacrificed a lot during the ongoing movement and the onus is on people to guard these sacrifices.

“Unfortunately, people have failed to honour the sacrifices by casting votes in any kind of elections,” he said.

Appealing the denizens of the state to completely boycott forthcoming civil elections, Geelani said National Conference (NC), People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Congress and other “pro-Indian” political parties seeks votes in the name of development, but “India uses it (elections) as an instrument to strengthen its military occupation over the disputed region”.

“New Delhi gives an impression to the international community that Kashmiris have voted for India,” he said, adding that people have not realised it as yet.

He said that to take freedom struggle forward, their must be a long-term policy in place.

“The first step in this direction will be to make the movement self-reliant,” he said, adding that Bait-ul-Maal (a central financial treasury) be established in all areas of the state.

He said people should give alms and zakaat to Bait-ul-Maal so that the amount could be used for the rehabilitation of militancy-affected people.

Chairman Hurriyat Conference (G), Syed Ali Geelani, said that New Delhi has used elections in Kashmir as a tool to meet political ends and for strengthening its military occupation.

Stating that to take the ongoing freedom struggle to its logical end, it must be made self-reliant. He said India has devised all techniques to weaken the movement.

“Youths are being lured towards vulgarity and people are being divided on religious lines,” he said.

“To keep away youths from freedom struggle, they are being lured towards drug addiction,” he said. “So far 42 per cent Kashmiri youth, which include girls, have become addicted to liquor and opium.”

Terming it an alarming situation, Geelani asked the parents, teachers and clerics to play their role in order to save younger generation from being trapped in drug addiction.