Muslim Peer (Sopore), Mar 27: The Apple Town reverberated with pro-freedom slogans on Sunday as the Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Shah Geelani led massive protests here against the killing of two sisters by unidentified gunmen on January 31 this year.  
 Geelani urged the people to refrain from participating in the political activities including Panchayat or Assembly elections saying they are “aimed at diverting their attention from the ongoing movement.”
 Incidentally, Geelani visited his native town Sopore after over a year as he was continuously placed under house arrest since June last year. When the veteran leader reached Sopore, he was received by a crowd including youth shouting pro-freedom slogans. Geelani straightaway went to the house of teenage sisters, Arifa and Akhter who were killed by the unidentified gunmen.   
 “The killers snatched my beloved and innocent daughters,” Fracha Begum, the mother of the victims told Geelani and burst into tears. “You must have courage and patience to bear the irreparable loss. You are not alone but people of Jammu and Kashmir share your sorrow. It is the standing policy of the Conglomerate to condemn killings of innocents which is a grave human rights violation. You must understand that there are many agencies working in Kashmir to suppress the aspirations of Kashmiris and defame the ongoing movement,” Geelani said while consoling her.
 The victims’ father, Ghulam Nabi Dar told Geelani that despite promises, the Government has not given any monetary relief to them. “I am not Government. But you should understand that the Government never fulfils its promises,” Geelani told the hapless parents. 
 As Geelani came out of the house, he was joined by hundreds of people including a large number of women. Jostling through narrow lanes of Muslim Peer, the procession reached the Tehsil Road. The massive procession took the policemen on duty near the Sopore Police Station by surprise.
  “Arifa and Akhtar ke Aisli Qataloon Ko Pesh Karoo (Produce real killers of the sisters,” the women in the procession shouted as the cops watched.
 Geelani finally led the procession to the house of a local militant Wasim Ahmad Ganie of Chinkipora who was killed in an encounter there earlier this month and expressed solidarity with his family.
 “It has been a long time since I visited my native place Sopore as I was continuously kept under house arrest. I express my heartfelt condolence to the families of Sopore whose beloved ones were killed by the security agencies and cops,” he said. 
 “I want to say without any fear that the police and administration in Sopore is leaving no stone unturned to suppress aspirations of the people here. They are behaving as more loyal than the king for promotions and rewards. But they should bear in mind that they are answerable to Almighty hereafter,” Geelani said, addressing the people.
 Geelani accused the successive regimes of targeting the people of Sopore for their political ideology. “People of Sopore even rose against the Maharaja Hari Singh’s rule.  They have been giving unflinching sacrifices for the ongoing freedom movement. The authorities at helm of affairs should understand the real face of India and do some self-introspection about their responsibilities towards their society,” he said.
 Geelani accused New Delhi of hatching a conspiracy to divert attention of the Kashmir from the ongoing movement. “The youth are being pushed towards narcotic drugs and liquor. New Delhi is trying to force the gullible youth to work as agents. It is high time to foil the conspiracy. You should refrain from participating in the political activities including Panchayat or Assembly elections are they are devised to divert your attention from the ongoing movement.  Even if the Government promises to make roads with gold, you should not fall prey to poll promises,” he said.
 Geelani urged the people to carry on the peaceful protests for taking the ongoing movement towards its logical conclusion. “Even the British occupied India for over a century, carried massacres and jailed its leaders including Mahatma Gandhi and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. But India finally achieved independence. Right to self-determination is our inalienable right and we can achieve it if we maintained steadfastness and unity,” he said.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 27 Mar 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 27 Mar 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 28 Mar 2011 00:00:00 IST