Srinagar, Aug 22: The Chairman of Hurriyat (G) Syed Ali Shah Geelani urged people to stage massive protests during police crackdowns “to foil the arrest of youth.”
In a statement, Geelani strongly condemned the arrest of youth and assault on women during the crackdown at Bemina yesterday.
“During crackdown, people should collectively take to streets, stage protests, beat drums and foil attempts of troopers and police to arrest the youth.  Males should be at the forefront of the protests and they must protect the women,” Geelani said.
The veteran leader warned that if the crackdowns are not stopped, the protests will be intensified. He said the people of adjoining localities should march towards the areas under crackdown and stage protests. 
 Geelani said during the crackdown at Bemina, the senior police officers including the concerned DSP, SHO and CRPF troopers assaulted the women. “The Jammu and Kashmir Police is at the forefront of unleashing atrocities on unarmed civilians. They have declared war on their own people. The ongoing agitation is proving to a source of frustration for the authorities. They have failed to suppress it even after killing innocents and imposing curfews and restrictions,” he said.
 He accused New Delhi of repeating the blunders and maintained that lingering the Kashmir dispute can have serious repercussions.
 On the Government’s decision to provide 50,000 jobs through legislators, Geelani said it was a trap. “By providing job to the people, the Government won’t be doing any favour to Kashmiris as it is their right. This job is done by SSB. By involving legislators in the process, it has become a mere political gimmick and youth should remain aware of the trap.
 Meanwhile, the statement said the president of All India Shrimoni Akali Dal met him. On the occasion, Geelani told him that Sikhs are integral part of Kashmiri society. “The letters asking members of the Sikh Community to leave Kashmir is handiwork of the Indian intelligence agencies. It is an attempt to diver the attention from the civilian killings in the Valley,” he added.

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