Stone-pelting nexus claim ‘conspiracy’ to defame struggle: Hurriyat (G)

Srinagar: Strongly refuting the police claims of a nexus between stone pelters, militants and Hurriyat Conference (G) cadres, the Syed Ali Geelani led-amalgam Tuesday termed the allegations as part of a larger “conspiracy” to defame the peaceful struggle of Kashmiris and intimidate the pro-freedom leadership.

The amalgam while rebuffing DIG North Kashmir, Muneer Khan’s claims that the stone pelters were being paid 400 rupees said it was preposterous to think “that people can take bullets on their chests and be ready to sacrifice their lives for 400 rupees.”

“Kashmiris are emotionally attached to the freedom cause and their purpose of life is to see the Indian occupation end.  Also the leaders named by the DIG are popular public leaders.  They are not engaged in any kind of underground or covert activities and neither do they need any kind of crutches for making themselves heard. The authorities should know that there is no single so-called ‘chota Geelani’.  Every youth of Kashmir is a Geelani in his own right,” a spokesman said in a statement issued.

“We challenge the police to prove its allegations that Hurriyat (G) and militants are paying stone pelters money.  The widespread recognition earned by our peaceful struggle on world level this year has frustrated New Delhi and mainstream parties, particularly the ruling National Conference. Now they are concocting baseless stories through the police and other agencies to give a violent color to our peaceful movement and implicate the leadership in false cases,” the Hurriyat (G) spokesman said in a statement issued.

The spokesman said the Hurriyat faction’s “commitment” to “peaceful struggle” was not under any coercion but its “standing policy.”

“Our leadership has consciously chosen this path and has constantly reiterated that violence has no role in our freedom movement. At a time when passions were running high and slogans of ‘jalao and gherao’ were being given, it was Geelani sahib who appealed youth to abstain from violence and keep the freedom movement completely peaceful,” he said.