Geelani asks Delhi to shun ‘policy of coercion’

Srinagar: Stating that ‘guns and stick’ can’t resolve the Kashmir dispute, Chairman of his faction of Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani Wednesday asked New Delhi to shun ‘policy of coercion’ and ‘accept ground realities.’

“New Delhi must exhibit flexibility in its approach in consonance with ground realities and shun the traditional policy of coercion as it has utterly failed for last 63-years,” the veteran leader said here in a statement.

He said that the ‘ongoing struggle’ in Kashmir was purely political and has shaped up in ‘peoples movement.’

“There is a need to free all the political detainees so that it could pave way for meaningful and result oriented dialogue.”

“Government can use gun and stick of police and forces to silent people momentarily but their thinking cannot be changed nor can force put off their desire to realize aspirations,” he said, adding, “Gun and stick can’t resolve the Kashmir dispute and it has already utilized to know its futility. The lawless and atrocities committed on people during last twenty years in the state would have made natives to stop demand for Azadi but what happen on the streets in 2008 and 2010 warrants serious thought.

He said that ‘struggle’ for freedom can be suppressed momentarily but “cannot be annihilated.

“The inhume and merciless attempt by New Delhi to suppress the struggle started in June this year has silenced the people but Indian policymakers must realize that the silence can’t be perpetual but the lull can give way to a big storm.”

The veteran leader said that there were people in New Delhi who have realized that for strong India, resolution of Kashmir dispute was must. “But they are unable to make their point in view of the communal forces.”