‘Even if Pakistan (God Forbid) yields to such diplomacy, people will not accept’
‘Eviction of Gujjars condemnable; Imams should discuss it in Friday sermons’
Srinagar: Syed Ali Geelani, chairman Hurriyat Conference (G) on Thursday rejected any track two diplomacy, aimed at upholding of status quo on Kashmir. Talking to KNS, Geelani said that even if Pakistan yields to any such ‘diplomacy’, the same shall not be acceptable to the people of Kashmir.
The senior separatist leader expressed his opinion while commenting on the visit of Prime Minister’s special envoy S K Lambah to valley. “No Track-II diplomacy that is aimed at continuation of status quo is acceptable to people of Kashmir,” he said, adding that Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute which needs to be resolved as per the political aspirations of its people.
Ridiculing Lambah’s remarks that there can be no redrawing of boundaries, Geelani said that the remarks are unrealistic and based on the traditional rigid approach of New Delhi. “Kashmir is not a bilateral or border dispute between India and Pakistan and the countries will resolve it mutually but it pertains to the fate of 13 million people who are living in Jammu, Kashmir Ladakh, Pakistan Administered Kashmir Gilgit and Baltistan. It is a dispute which can be resolved only after taking people of the Kashmir on board. Even if India and Pakistan agrees to any such formulae, or God forbid Pakistan yields to any machinations for upholding status quo, it will not be acceptable to the people of Kashmir,” he opined.
Asked to comment on results of Lok Sabha elections that are to come out on May 16, Geelani said that all mainstream political parties in India share a common policy, vision and action when it comes to Kashmir issue. “The only difference between Congress and BJP is that the former adopts a softer tone while as the BJP is blunt and has harsher tone in its politics,” he added.
On eviction of Gujjars from Gole Gujral in Jammu, Geelani condemned the Jammu Development Authority’s action saying that such actions are unwarranted and against the principles of humanity. “If the JDA claims that the eviction drive has been launched on court orders, than judiciary should also look into the issue on humanitarian basis. The judges too are human beings and they should feel the pain of those families who are being evicted without any relocation plans,” he observed.
Geelani appealed all the Imams (clerics) to discuss the eviction of Gujjars in their Friday congregational addresses as the Gujjars who are being evicted in Jammu. “There are around a hundred families of Gujjars who were basically forcibly shifted by forces and later when they took refuge in Gole Gujral, now the state administration is hell-bent to make their life hell,” he added. He said that eviction of Gujjar families sans any logic as the same is being carried out without offering these families an alternative place for their settlement. “These families are suffering at the hands of administration which has sought support from CRPF and police for their forcible eviction after 26 years of their settlement at the place. This is strongly commendable,” he added. (KNS)