Separatist leader demands conducive atmosphere and result oriented dialogue
J K News Today
Srinagar, March 16 The Government of India has made a fresh offer of talks to the separatist icon Syed Ali Shah Geelani to find an amicable way out for Kashmir issue, according to sources .
The offer was made against the backdrop of increasing violence and radicalization that it is feared would shrink all the space for the talks and a peaceful solution to the crisis that is becoming more and more complicated with the visible faces of the Islamic State now encroaching upon the space of Kashmiri nationalism.
That the talks offer was made by the GoI was confirmed by a spokesperson of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference faction headed by Geelani in a press release on Friday. The offer, the spokesman G A Gulzar said was made by an official of the Intelligence Bureau , India’s spy agency , on Thursday night.
But Geelani has rejected the offer maintaining that “ all these attempts as futile,” saying it is nothing more than a tactic to buy time by New Delhi.
Chief Spokesperson G A Gulzar in a statement disclosed that on Thursday night an IB official proposed a dialogue between New Delhi and Syed Ali Geelani, however he refused to talk, saying “ unless and until the Kashmir dispute is addressed in its historical perspective and asked India to acknowledge the disputed status of the Kashmir and begin demilitarization to hold a referendum.”
Geelani made it clear that “Kashmir issue has turned into a flash point and unless India accepts its disputed nature, no progress is expected and horrors of war will haunt people living in sub-continent.”
He further said that “people of J&K are peace-loving, and Indian leaders can play a key role (in resolving the issue) by respecting their aspirations, instead of adopting coercive measures,” clearly indicating that a soft approach may work.
They should shun fanatical politics because the need of the hour is to acknowledge the ground realities of the long-pending Jammu and Kashmir dispute,” Syed Ali Geelani said to IB official.
“Kashmiri people have never accepted or acknowledged the forced occupation of India and they are at war with this country (India) for the past seven decades”, quoting Syed Ali Geelani having said to IB official. “We time and again demanded that people should be allowed to express their aspiration about political future and destiny of state, “Syed Ali Geelani said.
Syed Ali Geelani addressing IB official said that to continue its forced military occupation,” India is not only inflicting worst oppression and atrocities upon the Kashmiri nation but this country is suppressing our youth and killing them on mere pretext.”
Syed Ali Geelani lamented India leadership for their callous approach, saying that instead of adopting the political and sane approach they are following their coercive measures and carrying bloodshed to cow down our political aspirations.
“I, with a sincere heart, want to convey that we are yearning for peace and seek peaceful resolution to the long- pending (Kashmir) issue,” Geelani said and added we are not against the dialogue process, but we favour only meaningful and result-oriented negotiations. We have a clear agenda and our viewpoint is unambiguous”, saying the issue can be resolved through dialogue,” however he added that more than 150 rounds of bilateral negotiations yielded no results because India never illustrated sincerity, said Syed Ali Geelani.
“For any Kashmiri to be part of this futile exercise will only undermine our internationally acknowledged legitimate and just struggle, nourished by the blood of our martyrs and great sacrifices and hardships rendered by the masses”. Geelani said.
Geelani made it clear that under such indifferent, apathetic and appalling situation no talks will prove fruitful and result oriented, hence it is responsibility of Indian leadership to prepare conducive atmosphere for talks between all its stakeholders including Pakistan.
