It’s not the question of supporting or opposing Geelani, but an all important issue of approaching the matter quite judiciously. We must not forget that he is after all a human being. Geelani’s mistakes accepted, but his contribution can never be underrated, Fazal Haq Qadri responds.

This refers to Tania Andrabi’s article Don’t `Geelanise’ Kashmir. Well Ms Tania everybody has a right to express his or her views so have you and me. But the problem with the writers like you is that you only search for some mistake or some fault and without wasting any time make a massive attack and don’t even bother to choose a descent word while addressing a person. I am neither a politician nor belong to Geelani sahib’s school of thought. I also got disappointed  with Geelani Sahib’s response to Majlis Mushawarat call and also what happened in TRC last year, but why don’t we forget after all he is a human being and mistakes at some time are expected from all of us but at the same time if one is  wise enough and sincere for Kashmiris like you then you should  have visited Geelani’s residence and discussed the matter with him and also guided him with good suggestion. I am sure he would have heard you with patience. We have examples in Islam wherein even prophets consulted their followers and acted upon their advise and kept their own one aside. You are right some Kashmiri  people have problem of knocking other Kashmiri down and the fresh example are you as you could not find any good thing in him nor could you see how an ailing and aged person like Geelani  at the fag end of his life is sacrificing himself for Kashmir cause. Yes some people still have problems, if one leader has been tortured, jailed for years or decades, dragged and humiliated, still it is not enough, still some people will ask  why his son is studying outside or working outside and why some leader got married, why our leaders are using a car to travel and not an cycle rickshaw, why this leader or that leader is using a mobile set and why not postal service for communication. Some people will only be happy when the whole family of any leader is massacred or put behind jails as if it is only their duty to do everything  for the oppressed people of Kashmir. Regarding Tania ji’s concern that, did some leader visit martyrs? I would like to ask her that is it the duty of leaders only to visit them and why not yours and mine? Why there is a trend emerging this time to demoralize and degrade our leadership and corrupt history of our freedom struggle, perhaps to divide Kashmiri society on various lines . I too differ with Geelani Sahib on some issue but don’t hate him rather respect him, Yaseen sahib, Shabeer sahib and sisiter Asiya Andrabi  for their efforts. In my last letter in response to Chitra ji’s letter I had predicted that today some  are doing character assignation of those  leaders who did tremendous work for Kashmirs in the past, tomorrow some will do the same with present leadership too  and it has come true. Yes you are right Tania some Kashmiris know only to knock down their own people, they don’t have time to write about the well planned denial of jobs to Kashmiris and other conspiracies going against Kashmiris as their masters will get annoyed.

(Feedback at Fazalhaq.shanib@gmail.com)

Lastupdate on : Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 IST