POTA remarks by Farooq confession of crime: Geelani

Srinagar: Reacting to National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah’s statements about POTA and AFSPA at a seminar in Kolkata, Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani Monday said Abdullah’s support of “draconian laws” was akin to  “confession to crime” and should serve as an eye-opener to the “blind followers of Sheikh family and National Conference.”

“Farooq Abdullah’s open support to AFSPA and his admission to having implemented POTA in the state during his tenure is a confession to his role in the killings of Kashmiris. After all, the National Conference and the Sheikh family are responsible for the miseries and bloodbath of Kashmiris during the last six decades. It is also an eye-opener to the people who out of their blind faith support this treacherous family and continue to stand aloof from the freedom struggle,” Geelani said in a statement issued.

Geelani said Abdullah had sold his conscience for the sake of power.  “Hypocrisy is ingrained in him. When in Srinagar, he tries to fool people with his sweet talk. But as soon as he is out of the state, he talks of dropping atom bombs on Kashmir and killing Kashmiris with bullets or advocates making their life miserable with   draconian laws like AFSPA and POTA,” Geelani said.

Reacting to Abdullah’s statement that “even an inch of Kashmir would be not given to separatists,” Geelani said Kashmir was nobody’s personal property, and its future had to be decided by Kashmiris.

He also condemned the protests of “communal forces” during Mirwaiz’s speech during a seminar in Kolkatta, saying such activities had exposed India’s “hollow” claims of democracy.

“It shows that fanatic communal forces have been given a free reign in India. If not kept under check, this fascist ideology will take India to anarchy in future,” he said.