Srinagar, Sept 24: Castigating the Government for clamping curfew on ‘no-strike days’, the Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Friday said the next protest calendar would be formulated taking the date sheets of various examinations into consideration in what he said larger interests of students.
The veteran leader who is spearheading the ongoing ‘Quit Jammu and Kashmir Movement’ called off the shutdown calls for Saturday and Sunday to counter the imposition of curfew on ‘normal’ days of his protest calendar.
“Whole Kashmiri nation is participating in the ongoing movement from the core of their heart. I want to maintain that the role of students in our movement is appreciable. I am concerned over the examinations of the students and don’t want that their one academic year should go waste,” Geelani said.
Elaborating, Geelani said, he was in touch with the students and parents. “The fresh protest calendar would be issued on Sunday according to the examinations date sheet,” Geelani said.
Accusing the Government of imposing curfew without any provocation, Geelani termed it as frustration for failing to suppress the ongoing agitation. “New Delhi is using state power to suppress and kill the Kashmiris who want freedom from it. By continuously imposing the curfew for 15 days, the Government has made the lives of people a hell. The State Government is only trying to save its chair at the cost of peoples’ sufferings,” he said.
 Geelani said the conglomerate was not in the competition of enforcing its writ on people. “For us public interest is supreme. We are ready to sacrifice our lives for freeing the people from the bondage,” he said.
 Geelani said for the convenience of people the shutdowns calls for Saturday and Sunday have been withdrawn. “Taking into consideration the problems of people, we have been giving relaxation in the shutdowns on regular intervals. However, the authorities have been imposing curfew on the normal days without any provocation,” he said.
 Geelani castigated the statement of External Affairs Minister SM Krishna in which he had asked Pakistan to vacate the Pakistan Administered Kashmir. “This statement speaks volumes about the autocratic policy and rigid stand of India. On August 14, 1947 whole Jammu and Kashmir was a disputed territory including PaK, Gilgit and Baltistan. However, Pakistan has never refused to provide right to self-determination to Kashmiris and respecting their rights,” he said.
 Geelani said the Indian leadership was shying away from accepting the ground realities in Kashmir. “They are deliberately delaying resolution of the Kashmir dispute to satiate their vested interests,” he said. Geelani also condemned the decision of US to imprison the Pakistani scientist Aafia Siddiqui for 85 years.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 24 Sep 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 24 Sep 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 25 Sep 2010 00:00:00 IST