Srinagar, March 26: Veteran Kashmiri leader and Hurriyat Conference (G) Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani was heckled by the activists of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Bhagat Singh Kranti Sena (BSKS) at a seminar in north Delh on Monday.
An aide of Syed Ali Shah Geelani said the activists attacked the octogenarian leader soon after he arrived at the venue of the seminar, organised by Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), at around 4 p.m.
“The activists surrounded him and tried to assault him but he was escorted inside the venue by organizers and local police,” he said, adding, “the function went ahead as per schedule.”
Protesters continued to chant Vande Mataram besides raising other slogans outside the venue demanding him to leave Delhi.
ABVP state secretary Rohit Chahal said his outfit will continue to protest against Geelani’s presence at any seminars in the capital.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah slammed the attackers for assaulting 81 year old Kashmiri separatist.
“These BSKS and ABVP goons are bloody idiots. Anyone can assault an old man,” Omar tweeted. “As if attacking SASG will make the Kashmir issue just disappear,” he added.
Meanwhile, major pro-India opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) strongly condemned attack on veteran Hurriyat leader and demanded stringent action against the culprits who were involved in this incident.
In a statement issued here, a PDP spokesman said that attack on Geelani was undemocratic and highly condemnable act which had to be disapproved by any one believing in freedom of speech and democratic values.
The spokesman said that right to express ones views was a fundamental right in the democracy and any attempt to curb it through illegal and strong arm methods was fascist and undemocratic.
He said in a democratic system everyone has right to expressed views on all issues in a peaceful, civilized and democratic manner. “The intolerance shown by the attackers was against the spirit of the democracy and civilized society.”
Meanwhile Geelani in his speech at the seminar referred to his attackers saying, “Those who don’t have an argument commit such type of actions. Kashmir is a human issue and people who have human heart should help Kashmiris. We are not seeking freedom on the basis of religion, but Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute.”
“India approached UN with Kashmir issue itself. We don’t want war but want Kashmir to be settled peacefully. India is holding Kashmir on military power and its claims of democracy prove a hoax in Kashmir,” he claimed.
The octogenarian separatist leader alleged that there was police and military rule in Kashmir. “
“Peoples movement of 2008, 2009 and 2010 were crushed by gun. Peace has been maintained by force,” he alleged.
The Hurriyat (G) leader demanded that both India and Pakistan should withdraw their troops from Kashmir and allow plebiscite under the supervision of UN.” Observer News Service
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