The Hindu : National : Geelani calls for peaceful protests

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National

Geelani calls for peaceful protests

Shujaat Bukhari

PHOTO: NISSAR AHMAD

Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani addressing a press conference in Srinagar on Wednesday.

SRINAGAR: Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani on Wednesday made a fervent appeal to the people to remain peaceful during their agitation and not burn public property. Additional deployment of troops from Delhi would not deter the people from achieving their “cherished goal.”

Addressing journalists at his residence, Mr. Geelani said the basic objective of the ongoing agitation was “complete withdrawal of [security] forces” from Jammu and Kashmir as the “people have been denied their basic right to live as per their choice.”

However, he made it clear that violence was not part of the agitation. “I make a fervent appeal to the people, especially the youth, to not to resort to violence by burning public property and gheraoing police stations, pulling down government offices and railway stations.”

“This struggle has to be peaceful in all its forms and violence is causing more harm than benefiting the cause. We should not provide the Government of India with any opportunity to brand our movement is a wrong way,” he said. He referred to those burning government property as “subversive elements.”

Youth, he said, should remain cautious as this was the only way to achieve the objective. “Wherever you are stopped, you should sit on road and tell forces to shoot if they want.”

Mr. Geelani, who heads the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference, was released on Monday, re-arrested the next day and then released again. He was at pains to urge the people to follow his party's “peaceful programme,” which he said was on since 2009.

“We have to think over the situation with a cool mind, control emotions and implement the programme in letter and spirit.” Mr. Geelani said that by remaining peaceful “we will surely achieve our goal.”

But, he said, whatever was happening in Kashmir was a reaction to the killings by the police and the Central Reserve Police Force and the “youth are deeply hurt and pained at the oppressive measures being continued by government.”

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