Srinagar, Apr 18: Upping the ante over the Dogra Certificate issue, the Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Monday said if the Government doesn’t revoke the controversial order by April 30, the conglomerate would chalk out a program to stage peaceful protests.
 Geelani castigated Muslims of Jammu for “maintaining silence over the attempts to wipe out their identity.”
 “Issuing Dogra Certificate to people of Jammu has no legal base or justification. This is a part of a larger conspiracy to divide the people of Jammu and Kashmir and divert their attention from the ongoing movement. I want to maintain that if the Government does not revoke its order on the Dogra Certificate, by the end of this month, the conglomerate will chalk out a program to stage peaceful protests,” Geelani said while addressing a seminar “What is the justification of Dogra certificate?’ at his Hyderpora residence here.    
 Elaborating, Geelani maintained that there can be no parallel to the State Subject which was formulated by Maharaja Hari Singh in 1929. “The State Subjects irrespective of their religion are part of the state rich culture and social fabric. We will resist any move which is aimed at dividing the state on ethnic lines,” he said.
 Geelani came down heavily on the Muslims of Jammu for maintaining silence over the Dogra Certificate row. “It is ironical that the Muslims of Jammu have surrendered their religious and cultural identity to safeguard their lives,” he said.
 However, Geelani maintained that the Muslims of Jammu were living under tremendous pressure from the “communal elements.” The ailing leader said during his visit to Rajouri, Poonch and Jammu some years ago, he was arrested without assigning any reason.
 “Ironically, the Muslims in Jammu and its others parts did not speak even a word against it.  I know they have been suppressed by communal elements. It is high time for them to do some self-introspection and peacefully fight to protect their identity,” he said.
 Geelani accused the police of using oppressive tactics to quell peaceful protests. “New Delhi is frustrated by our peaceful agitation and even uses disproportionate force to quell it. I want to make it clear to those who criticize us for adopting a peaceful mode of agitation should understand that we don’t have our own army, supply lines and some country behind us to carry forward our struggle. I urge the youth to keep the protests peaceful despite provocations,” he said.
 He expressed concern over the disappearance of a Kashmir Pandit youth Susheel Raina of Chandarigam Ashmuqam Islamabad (Anantnag) and appealed the people to help the hapless family to locate his whereabouts.
 Earlier, columnist and political analyst, Dr Javid Iqbal traced the genesis of the Dogra Certificate row. “This is a result of administrative inefficiency and governance default. The conspiracy to erode the identity of Kashmiris started in 1965 when the nomenclatures of Prime Minister and Sadr-e-Riyasaat were changed to Chief Minister and Governor. The black history has repeated itself with the Government’s decision to issue Dogra Certificate to people of Jammu,” Iqbal said.
 Another columnist, Abdul Majid Zargar questioned the unfolding of controversies in April during past 3-years. He termed it as an attempt to hit Kashmiris economically. “The Shopian incident, Machil killings and now Dogra Certificate all surfaced in April. This is a conspiracy by the Government to hit political struggle of Kashmiris and to hit them economically by destroying their tourist season,” he said. 
 An Imam from Doda Sharief Sartaj highlighted the “discrimination” faced by the Muslims in Jammu. Among others, Hurriyat (G) members advocate Muhammad Shafi Reshi, Muhammad Shafi Lone besides Qazi Asgar from Poonch also spoke on the occasion while conglomerate’s spokesman Ayaz Akbar moderated the seminar.
(GKNN)

Lastupdate on : Mon, 18 Apr 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
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