KL Report
SRINAGAR
Condemning the random arrests of separatist leaders, Hurriyat G chairman Syed Ali Geelani Thursday termed the elections in Kashmir as a “military exercise” and argued that holding the elections under gun point carried no meaning. Talking to CNS, Geelani urged international community to intervene and stop the crackdown against the Kashmiri separatist leaders and youth.
“Eight ‘innocent’ people were branded as militants in Sopore and this speaks volumes about the state repression,” Geelani said and condemned the arrest of Muhammad Yasin Malik, Shabir Ahmed Shah, Nayeem Ahmed Khan and others.
He said that police has also launched a crackdown on Hurriyat G cadres and have arrested scores of its leaders. “We condemn this action. This exposes the basis of Indian democracy in Kashmir,” he said.
Geelani alleged that a relief laden truck that the organization was mulling to distribute among the flood hit victims of Sumbal Sonawari was lifted by police and all the relief material in it was seized. “What we can expect from the administration when it doesn’t allow us even to distribute relief among flood hit people. There is no democracy in Kashmir and the voice of people is being muzzled on gun-point,” he alleged.
