GoI trying to coerce K-leadership into futile talks: Geelani

Srinagar: Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani Thursday alleged that New Delhi was trying to “coerce” the pro-freedom leadership into a meaningless dialogue process through oppressive tactics.

Addressing a press conference at his Hyderpora residence here, Geelani said for this purpose the police and other government forces were “targeting” his led Hurriyat faction and Tehreek-Hurriyat members.

“By hook or crook, New Delhi is trying to crush us through the might of the police and armed forces. Our leaders and activists are being arrested arbitrarily and tortured in jails and interrogation centers across the state.   Through arrests, torture, house arrest and other oppressive tactics, New Delhi wants us to bow and tow its line by entering into meaningless talks,” Geelani alleged.

However, the Hurriyat (G) chairman, assured people, particularly youth, that “come what may we will continue our struggle against injustice and oppression.”

He said the “attempted murder” and “false” implication of the amalgam’s Legal Cell head, Ghulam Mohammad Bhat in a Hawala racket was part of “the same conspiracy.”

Geelani said, as the in charge of the Legal Cell, Bhat was involved in fighting legal battles of Kashmiris detainees.

“The height of oppression is that while on one hand our youth are sentenced to life or death sentences those who fight their cases are targeted and implicated in false cases,” he said.

Geelani said Bhat had been implicated in “fictitious case” by the police in 2008, but was let off by court for lack of evidence. “Now, again, on January 22 he was arrested from Bemina and brutally beaten up with gun buts by Special Operations Group Inspector Arshad Khan and his sub-ordinates. Later, he was tortured at the notorious Cargo interrogation centre, where from, the police shifted him to SKIMS, Soura , in a critical condition,” Geelani said

Geelani said the police had “concocted a fake story of Bhat being injured in an accident near Udhampur to hush up its torture.”

“It was a deliberate attempt to murder by the SOG inspector and he should be booked for it. If the government tries to shield such police officers it would be an equal accomplice in their crimes,” he said.

Geelani reiterated his appeal for peaceful protests after Friday prayers tomorrow against what he termed gross human rights violations by government forces.  “Silence encourages oppressors, and therefore it’s the people’s duty to peacefully protest these violations,” he said while urging Amnesty International, International Red Cross, UN War tribunal  to take immediate notice of the “grave situation and use their influence to stop human rights violations in Kashmir.”