- Mirwaiz confined to his house
- Stops Malik from entering Geelani’s residence
- Trio was scheduled to discuss future course of action
Authorities on Wednesday disallowed a meeting between top separatist leaders, who are spearheading the ongoing uprising in Kashmir, for discussing future course of action.
The meeting between Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik was scheduled at Hyderpora residence of Geelani at 3 p.m.
While police didn’t allow Mirwaiz to move out of his Nigeen residence where he remains under house arrest, Malik – who had managed to reach Hyderpora – wasn’t allowed by security personnel to enter Geelani’s residence where CRPF and police remain stationed outside his gate.
A senior Hurriyat (G) leader said the resistance leadership had to discuss “certain issues” concerning the ongoing uprising. “It is unfortunate that government didn’t allow the meeting,” he said.
Talking to Kashmir Post, Mirwaiz said police didn’t allow him to come out of his residence. “We wanted to sit and discuss the future strategy. A lot of suggestions have come from people and we wanted to discuss them as well,” said Mirwaiz who was released from Cheshmashai sub-jail on October 24.
Malik, who was released from jail on September 30, said they had planned to hold deliberations over the ongoing uprising. “But the forces deployed outside his (Geelani’s) residence didn’t allow me to go in,” said Malik.
This was the first scheduled meeting between the top separatist leaders amid the ongoing uprising in Kashmir that was triggered by the killing of Hizb commander BurhanMuzaffarWani by forces on July 8 this year. Since the killing, Kashmir has been witnessing protests and clashes between people and security forces. At least 95 civilians have been killed and over 15000 injured in security forces action in past 117 days of uprising. The separatists have been issuing joint weekly “protest calendar” for protests since Burhan’s killing.
In the last week of September a delegation led by former union minister Yashwant Singh met Geelani and Mirwaiz which was seen as an initiative by New Delhi to break the ice with the separatists and engage them. The delegation had however reiterated that their meeting was an “independent initiative”.
During their meeting with the delegation the separatists had raised the issue of arrest of civilians and pro-freedom leaders, demanding that they (separatists) should be released and allowed to meet “so that after consultation, a common and collective point of view can be put forward.”
“The (Sinha-led) delegation had assured the pro-freedom leaders that they will be given political space. They had promised that the issue will be taken up with both the state government and government of India,” a source in the Hurriyat (M) said.
Last time the separatists from different groups participated in a seminar on June 12 this year at Geelani’s residence in the wake of the controversies over setting up of Sainik colonies and separate townships for Kashmiri Pandits. It was first such seminar of separatists from different groups in eight years.
In a statement issued late in the evening, Hurriyat (G) said: “We strongly condemn this cowardice and unlawful action by puppet government. It has once again proven that this ruthless regime is nothing but a stooge in the hands of Delhi durbar,” said the statement. “This government is least concerned about the sufferings of the people as every minor and major issue is directly handled by government of India.”
