Srinagar, May 25:  Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Friday castigated the government for stopping him from offering Friday congregation prayers. 
 “From April 6, I have been stopped from offering Friday prayers. They actually put me under house arrest from Wednesday evening. It is direct interference in religious affairs and worst kind of barbarism,” Geelani told a news conference at his Haiderpora residence here. 
 Accusing the government of preventing leaders from meeting people as a tool to make people forget sacrifices, Geelani said, “On the dent of police and military Raj they don’t allow us to express our resentment against the illegal rule. More than 64 years have passed but India continues to be stubborn. Conspiracies were hatched to house arrest leaders, jail young people, not to allow contact programme. If ever we move outside, they monitor every activity of ours.”
 While appealing the Ulema for unification, Geelani said, “International conspiracies are being hatched to divide Muslim community in groups on the basis of region, and geography, linguistic and on other terms. Everyone knows what happened in Pakistan. I have no hesitation in claiming that India, USA and Israel are responsible for prevailing mess in Pakistan.”
 Geelani said the meeting Ulema from all over the Valley was successful. “Everyone on their part owed to shun differences and work for unity. We had again decided to meet on May 24 again but police foiled it,” he added. 
 He said that sentiment of Azadi cannot be suppressed on the dent of force. “Those who participated in elections too acknowledge   that sentiment of Azadi prevails and it cannot be suppressed,” he added.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 25 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 25 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
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