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| ‘Confine Yatra to 15 days’ | | GEELANI 'ROARS' AGAIN | |
EARLY TIMES REPORT
SRINAGAR, June 18: Hardcore Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani is up in arms again.In what can give new dimension to the controversy related to time period of annual Amarnath Yatra, Hurriyat Conference Chairman, Geelani has threatened to launch fresh agitation if the duration was not limited to 15 days.Geelani's threatening has come at a time when the registrations have begun all over the country for pilgrimage that will commence next month and last for nearly two months.
While reiterating call for boycott to ensuing Pachayat elections in the state, Geelani today threatened stir incase the duration of annual Amaranth Yatra was not what he said restored to 15-days. Entire state machinary, including the Amarnath Shrine Board is gearing up fast to give final shape to the preparations to make this ardous and hazardous journey from both routes comfortable for pilgrims coming from far and wide.
"We are not against the Amarnath Yatra. We will continue to welcome the Yatris as we have been in the past. Islam doesnt teach us to create hurdles in the religious rituals of non-Muslims, but we demand that the duration of Amarnath Yatra be restored to 15 days from 2 months because the extended duration is having an adverse impact on our environment",Geelani said while addressed a gathering at Iqra Masjid Magarmal Bagh here.
"Incase government fails to do so, we will start a protests against it", Geelani said contending there are limitations on a similar pilgrimage in Gangortri in Indias Uttar Pradesh. Not more than 150 people are allowed to participate in the Yatra in a day for environmental reasons. Making his point, he alleged that Kashmir was being discriminated because allowing an adverse impact on the environment and culture of a Muslim majority region was in the national interest of India.
He also urged parents of youth arrested by the police in connection with stone pelting not to plead and pay bribes to police officers for their release.
National Conference workers report stone pelting youth to police who in turn demand bribes from their parents for releasing them. We will agitate for their release and appeal the parents not to plead before these officers and pay them bribes, Geelani said.
The octogenarian leader asked the government to release the youth by Tuesday and announced that his led faction of the Hurriyat will meet on Wednesday to decide future strategy in case the government didn't meet the demand.
Asking people to completely boycott the Panchayat elections scheduled to be held in October this year, Geelani said India uses the votes of Kashmiris to mislead the international community that Kashmiris trust its democracy.
He also questioned the participation of people in 2008 elections after the 2008 uprising. "People say we decimated the 2008 uprising by calling off the strike, but they should ask themselves if after asking for Azadi they should have demanded transformers and roads in elections",he said.
Reiterating that enumeration of non-locals in the ongoing census was aimed at diluting the demography and terming 8 percent reservation in the inter-district recruitment bill akin to a poisoned knife for Kashmiris, Geelani asked people to stay alert against such conspiracies.
Rejecting any other solution than right to self determination, Geelani asked people to continue the struggle for freedom through peaceful means while terming the role of Mujahideen as equally important. Gun played an important role and will continue to do so, but the whole nation cant take to guns. Therefore we need to continue our peaceful struggle against Indian occupation while allowing the Mujahideen to carry on with their mode of struggle, he said.
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