I’m not against dialogue: Geelani SYED ALI SAFVI SRINAGAR, Nov 23: Hinting at a possibility of sitting down at dialogue table with India and Pakistan, veteran separatist leader and chairman Hurriyat Conference (G), Syed Ali Geelani, today said that he was not against dialogue on principles, but asked New Delhi to “shun rigidity”, and “stop calling Kashmir as ‘Atoot Ang’ (inalienable part)”.
Meanwhile, ruling National Conference (NC) today termed withdrawal of special powers to army as “need of the hour”.
Geelani, who is spearheading the ongoing “Quit Jammu and Kashmir campaign”, also warned New Delhi of “dire consequences” if it failed to accept a five-point proposal mooted by him that includes accepting Kashmir as an “international dispute”.
“India must stop singing same old song of ‘Atoot Ang’ (integral part) else face the consequences,” he said while interacting with visiting two-member Canadian delegation at his Hyderpora residence this afternoon.
“Since March 1952 there have been 150 bilateral dialogues, but it all proved exercise in futility,” he said.
“Unless India accepts Kashmir as dispute, holding talks will not yield any results.” During the interaction, which lasted over half an hour, the octogenarian separatist leader told the delegation that the denizens of Kashmir continued their peaceful struggle against “India’s military occupation”.
“India is trying its best to suppress the voice of dissent emanating from Kashmir streets,” he said.
The Hurriyat chairman said that India was bound by promise it had made at national and international level to resolve the Kashmir dispute.
“It was Indian Prime Minister who took the Kashmir issue to United Nations (UN),” he said.
“The UN had issued resolutions to resolve the Kashmir issue 60 years ago, but India failed to keep its promise its Prime Minister had made to the denizens of Kashmir.” Asking New Delhi to “fulfill you promise”, the veteran separatist leader said, “We want right to self determination for people living in both sides of divided Kashmir.” Maintaining that the state of Jammu and Kashmir witnessed armed struggle for 20 years, Geelani said that since the mode of resistance changed worldwide, Kashmiris also decided to adopt nonviolent and peaceful struggle as their modus operandi.
“International community, including the government of Canada, must take serious note of India’s brutal response to Kashmiris’ peaceful struggle,” he asked the delegation.
Terming pre-August 15, 1947 Kashmir as “disputed”, he asked India to accept the ground reality and allow Kashmiris to determine their future.
Meanwhile, senior National Conference (NC) member and legislator, Mustafa Kamal, today said that the withdrawal of the special powers to army was need of the hour.
Interacting with the two-member Canadian delegation, he said that since the militancy was on decline in the state, the withdrawal of the act was the “need of the hour.” The formed minister and uncle of chief minister, Omar Abdullah, Kamal also condemned the recent statement of army chief on AFSPA, and termed it “unnecessary”.
“The statements by army chief (General VK Singh) are unnecessary rather than apt,” a spokesman of the party said while quoting Kamal as having told to the delegation.
“Friendship between New Delhi and Islamabad is imperative for peace in entire south Asia and state and until, Kashmir issue is not resolved in accordance with the wishes and aspiration of the people, the friendly ties between neighbours is a distant dream,” he said.
Kamaal also underlined the need for taking people of Kashmir into confidence, saying that they are the real owners of the land, the spokesman added.
