Hurriyat not colluded with militants: Geelani

Srinagar: Rejecting Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, SM Sahai’s claims of a nexus between Tehreek-e-Hurriyat and Lashkar Toiba, Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani Saturday said the party was a “peaceful political organization”.

“Having links with militants is a distant thing, we are not even in favour of any provocative slogans. The programme of our party is 100 percent peaceful and has no links with militancy. We are not saying this because of fear of anybody or for pleasing anybody, but this is a conscious decision made by us in view of our experiences,” Geelani said in a statement issued.

“During the height of public anger and support for combat against the Indian occupation, we made a history by appealing for non-violent means of struggle, which was appreciated by the masses. Even our freedom loving generation paid heed to our appeal, proving that this movement is not anarchic but is led by a leadership which has decided to keep it peaceful,” he said.

Pertinently, Sahai had claimed that telephonic conversations between an arrested district president of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (a constituent of the Geelani led Hurriyat Conference), Ghulam Muhammad Tantray and a Lashkar commander Furqaan revealed that former was “linked to the outfit (Lashkar)”.

“Both of them stayed together for a day and mooted plans to increase and organize the agitation. So it shows how there are links between militants and separatists,” he said during a press conference here yesterday.

Responding to Sahai’s allegations, Geelani said , after being arrested, Tantray was subjected to “third degree torture” during his two month detention at Sringar Cargo, a “notorious interrogation centre”.

Geelani, however, announced a party-level “probe” into the IGP’s allegations, saying,  “ Even though the allegations made by the IGP of police have no legal or moral standing, Tehreek-e-Hurriyat would conduct its own enquiry into these allegations on party level. We would never allow our party to diverge from its constitutional path,” he said.

“After 20 years of armed struggle, the resistance movement of Kashmiris has taken the shape of a peaceful political movement.  There is no role or need of militancy in the ongoing mass movement. Unfortunately, New Delhi is unwilling to accept this change and is committed to crush this peaceful movement by any means,” Geelani said.

Geelani also flayed the “crack down” on government employees.  “They are an integral part of our society. We will support every program given by the employees’ leadership against the arrests of employees,” he said.