Geelani Heeds Mirwaiz Plea, Postpones Friday Strike

Hurriyat (M) welcomes Geelani’s gesture

SRINAGAR: A day after Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq made a fervent appeal to separatist organizations to desist from calling shutdowns on Fridays, Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani Wednesday called off the strike for Friday and urged people to observe shutdown on Saturday instead against the Village Defence Committees (VDCs).

Mirwaiz had on Tuesday said that government had been leaving no stone unturned to create a wedge between separatists and people. “It is on Fridays that resistance leaders get a chance to interact with people on the occasion of congregational prayers. I request all pro-freedom organizations not to call for any protests or shutdowns on Fridays as it gives a pretext to government to enforce curfew and restrictions or place pro-freedom leaders under house arrest,” he had said.

Geelani in a statement declared that shutdown will be observed on August 17 instead of August 16. He also urged all activists of Hurriyat (G) and Tehreek-e-Hurriyat to organize peaceful demonstrations after Friday prayers and apprise people about the VDCs and the necessity for protest demonstration against their high handedness.

“We will not call of our struggle and will continue our protest until the committees are dissolved,” he added.

Media Advisor to Hurriyat (M) Shahid-ul-Islam appreciated the gesture from Geelani. “It is a good beginning and I hope separatist leadership in future will reach to a consensus on important issues,” Shahid said.

Meanwhile, Geelani denounced government statement with regards to VDCs and termed it as highly deplorable.

“Until these committees aren’t dissolved and disarmed Muslim community in Jammu region will remain in threat,” he said.

He claimed that culprits and the persons behind the present disturbance in Chenab region are being let free while as members of a particular community are being targeted and its members arrested at random. “The administration is scared of RSS and Sangh Parivar and Omar Abdullah for the sake of and existence of his government is exhibiting reluctance and avoiding action against main culprits,” he alleged.

While expressing his deep concern over the statement of principal secretary Home Suresh Kumar, wherein he had said that VDC members have misused their authority only in Padder and that they have no plans to dissolve these committees, Geelani said, “VDC members are actually armed terrorist in civil dress and instead of obeying the state authorities are directly under the influence of Jan Sangh. Right from their inception these Committees remained a continuous threat for local Muslim community.”

While expressing his surprise, Geelani said that Suresh Kumar has deliberately ignored the recent episodes in which a minor Muslim girl was sexually assaulted by three VDC members in Kishtwar and in Thatry a tenth class student was brutally killed in mysterious circumstances.

“Secretary Home has not even mentioned the stone pelting incidents, the handiwork of those threatening the Muslim population during nights. It is highly shameful and deplorable,” he said and warned until these Committees are dissolved, vested sections with their sinister designs, would continue their subversive activities.

While taking dig at Omar Abdullah, Hurriyat (G) Chairman said that he cannot escape from his responsibilities. In his appeal to people of Jammu province Geelani impressed both communities to maintain peace, mutual brotherhood and communal harmony and asked both communities to remain cautious against the sinister designs of BJP and Jan Sangh.

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