Protests against Geelani’s ‘inflammatory’ remarks

Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 30

Anger today grew against “inflammatory” and “anti-national” statement of hardline Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, with various groups demanding strict legal action against him.

An emergency meeting of the Jammu Kashmir High Court Bar Association (JKHCBA), Jammu, was held at the High Court complex here, which was chaired by its president MK Bhardwaj.

The meeting was attended by other office-bearers and senior members of the association, who condemned Geelani for making “inflammatory” statements against the laying down of life by Army and police personnel in the line of duty while fighting terrorists in Pulwama district.

“Armed forces, police and other belt forces’ personnel of the country are daily sacrificing their life in the service of the nation. The association appreciates and salutes the Army, paramilitary and police forces for working tirelessly to maintain peace and uphold integrity of our country, especially Col MN Rai and head constable Sanjeevan Singh, who have scarified their life for the nation,” the official spokesperson of JKHCBA said in a statement here.

Geelani had caused a controversy by describing the militants, who were killed in a recent encounter in which gallantry award recipient Col MN Rai also lost his life, as “martyrs”.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) also burnt an effigy of Geelani and requested the Central Government for initiating strict legal action against him for his “anti-national” remarks.

Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad activists, led by Sandeep Sharma, president of the Jammu University unit of the organisation, raised slogans against the separatist leader and warned him against making “anti-Army” and “anti-national” remarks in future.

Sharma, while addressing the protesters, condemned the Geelani’s remarks and requested the Central Government to initiate “strictest possible” action against the Hurriyat leader.