Srinagar, Dec 24: Holding Congress responsible for the sufferings of Kashmiris, veteran pro-freedom leader and Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Shah Geelani Saturday said New Delhi is snatching the natural resources of Jammu and Kashmir.
“New Delhi will never tolerate that Muslims should be in majority here and are using different tactics to change the demography. Wherever forces find free land, they encroach it. Even our natural resources including water are being taken away,” Geelani said addressing a seminar titled “Why Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai is being persecuted?” here today. Geelani said despite militancy having declined, the concentration of forces continues as such across the state.
“There are camps and cantonment areas everywhere. More than 28 lakh kanals of land are under forces in JK and they have taken away more land in Poonch and Bijbehara for establishing their camps,” he said.
Asserting that peace has been enforced by dint of gun in Jammu and Kashmir, Geelani said,“Minister of State for Home and DGP claiming that peace has been established here is not a reality. I want to tell Indian leadership and their agents that real peace will be established here only when people of Kashmir are given right to self-determination to decide their future.”
Geelani also said media was giving more space ‘to the version of New Delhi and its agents than the oppressed Kashmiris.’
“Few decades back media was not in our hands, but now our sons of the soil are handling it here. It is your duty to highlight the sufferings of Kashmiris, otherwise you will be accountable hereafter for not raising the voice on oppression of Kashmiris,” he said.
Asking masses to stay away from the mainstream parties, Geelani said, “It is shameful that our youngsters are joining the Congress. The party is responsible for the miseries of Kashmiris. It treats Muslims as third class citizens in India.”
Geelani also said Kashmiris are indifferent towards the plight of detainees languishing in jails within and outside state.
“Large numbers of Kashmiris are behind the bars. Our lawyers plead their cases and their families go to meet them in jails outside state. We need financial help for meeting their legal expenses. If we will not pay attention towards it, it would be disastrous for entire nation.”
Terming Kashmir American Council executive director, Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, as an ambassador of Kashmiris, Geelani said America would have to pay the price for persecuting the person who was pleading the cause of oppressed nation.
“India’s embassies across the world are lobbying for their stance on Kashmir, but if Dr. Fai was organizing meetings, conferences, in which Indian intelligentsia also participated, to highlight the Kashmir issue, it was not a sin. He was pleading the genuine cause which is supported by the resolutions of United Nations.”
A resolution was passed in support of Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai on the occasion.
“This house representing various organizations, civil society, intellectuals, writers and citizens present in the seminar resolve to support the cause for which Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, executive director of Kashmir American Council, has been framed in violation of international norms supporting the cause of right to self-determination of the people around the world, which includes people of Jammu and Kashmir, who are dispossessed, deprived of their sovereign right provided and guaranteed to them by various United Nations resolutions. We the people of Jammu and Kashmir stand by Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai for his commitment to the cause of Kashmir and impress upon international community to ensure his honorable release,” the resolution read.
Noted civil rights activist, Gautam Navalakha, whose speech was read by Dr. Javaid Iqbal, said that he ‘will not feign personal hurt or anger that Ghulam Nabi Fai Sahib admitted having received money from ISI.’
“I thought it was politically unwise to allow the cause we hold dear to come under shadow because of doubts about our autonomy. Kashmiri Diaspora had in itself the resources to fund Kashmir American Council. It would be naive of me to ignore the dilemma that confronts resistance in a context of war and where everything that is attempted above ground is throttled by laws, rules, coercion and threat leaving few choices for the resistance. However, credibility of a person matters and cause even more so. Having said this, Fai Sahib’s personal integrity is not in doubt for me,” he said.
Speaking over phone from the US, Advocate Sareer Fazili, spokesperson of Kashmir American Council said the organization supports peaceful resolution of J&K issue which is in consonance with the sentiments and aspirations of Kashmiris.
“We never glorified or encouraged militancy,” he said.
Noted journalist Zahirudin said United Nations resolution passed on January 5, 1949, calls for appointment of plebiscite administrator and also asks India and Pakistan to support the process.
“It is the duty of both the countries to constitute special fund for plebiscite facilitators. Dr Fai should have also been funded as he is working for the resolution of the issue,” he said, adding, “New Delhi is funding conspirators who are delaying the resolution process.”
Among others, Ghulam Nabi Sumji, Altaf Ahmad Shah, Parvez Imroze and Abdul Majid Zargar spoke on the occasion.
The proceedings of the seminar were conducted by the spokesman of Huriyat (G), Ayaz Akbar.
“New Delhi will never tolerate that Muslims should be in majority here and are using different tactics to change the demography. Wherever forces find free land, they encroach it. Even our natural resources including water are being taken away,” Geelani said addressing a seminar titled “Why Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai is being persecuted?” here today. Geelani said despite militancy having declined, the concentration of forces continues as such across the state.
“There are camps and cantonment areas everywhere. More than 28 lakh kanals of land are under forces in JK and they have taken away more land in Poonch and Bijbehara for establishing their camps,” he said.
Asserting that peace has been enforced by dint of gun in Jammu and Kashmir, Geelani said,“Minister of State for Home and DGP claiming that peace has been established here is not a reality. I want to tell Indian leadership and their agents that real peace will be established here only when people of Kashmir are given right to self-determination to decide their future.”
Geelani also said media was giving more space ‘to the version of New Delhi and its agents than the oppressed Kashmiris.’
“Few decades back media was not in our hands, but now our sons of the soil are handling it here. It is your duty to highlight the sufferings of Kashmiris, otherwise you will be accountable hereafter for not raising the voice on oppression of Kashmiris,” he said.
Asking masses to stay away from the mainstream parties, Geelani said, “It is shameful that our youngsters are joining the Congress. The party is responsible for the miseries of Kashmiris. It treats Muslims as third class citizens in India.”
Geelani also said Kashmiris are indifferent towards the plight of detainees languishing in jails within and outside state.
“Large numbers of Kashmiris are behind the bars. Our lawyers plead their cases and their families go to meet them in jails outside state. We need financial help for meeting their legal expenses. If we will not pay attention towards it, it would be disastrous for entire nation.”
Terming Kashmir American Council executive director, Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, as an ambassador of Kashmiris, Geelani said America would have to pay the price for persecuting the person who was pleading the cause of oppressed nation.
“India’s embassies across the world are lobbying for their stance on Kashmir, but if Dr. Fai was organizing meetings, conferences, in which Indian intelligentsia also participated, to highlight the Kashmir issue, it was not a sin. He was pleading the genuine cause which is supported by the resolutions of United Nations.”
A resolution was passed in support of Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai on the occasion.
“This house representing various organizations, civil society, intellectuals, writers and citizens present in the seminar resolve to support the cause for which Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, executive director of Kashmir American Council, has been framed in violation of international norms supporting the cause of right to self-determination of the people around the world, which includes people of Jammu and Kashmir, who are dispossessed, deprived of their sovereign right provided and guaranteed to them by various United Nations resolutions. We the people of Jammu and Kashmir stand by Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai for his commitment to the cause of Kashmir and impress upon international community to ensure his honorable release,” the resolution read.
Noted civil rights activist, Gautam Navalakha, whose speech was read by Dr. Javaid Iqbal, said that he ‘will not feign personal hurt or anger that Ghulam Nabi Fai Sahib admitted having received money from ISI.’
“I thought it was politically unwise to allow the cause we hold dear to come under shadow because of doubts about our autonomy. Kashmiri Diaspora had in itself the resources to fund Kashmir American Council. It would be naive of me to ignore the dilemma that confronts resistance in a context of war and where everything that is attempted above ground is throttled by laws, rules, coercion and threat leaving few choices for the resistance. However, credibility of a person matters and cause even more so. Having said this, Fai Sahib’s personal integrity is not in doubt for me,” he said.
Speaking over phone from the US, Advocate Sareer Fazili, spokesperson of Kashmir American Council said the organization supports peaceful resolution of J&K issue which is in consonance with the sentiments and aspirations of Kashmiris.
“We never glorified or encouraged militancy,” he said.
Noted journalist Zahirudin said United Nations resolution passed on January 5, 1949, calls for appointment of plebiscite administrator and also asks India and Pakistan to support the process.
“It is the duty of both the countries to constitute special fund for plebiscite facilitators. Dr Fai should have also been funded as he is working for the resolution of the issue,” he said, adding, “New Delhi is funding conspirators who are delaying the resolution process.”
Among others, Ghulam Nabi Sumji, Altaf Ahmad Shah, Parvez Imroze and Abdul Majid Zargar spoke on the occasion.
The proceedings of the seminar were conducted by the spokesman of Huriyat (G), Ayaz Akbar.
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