The Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani Monday condemned summoning of his younger son Syed Naseem Geelani by the National Investigation Agency.
In a statement, Geelani said: “We have explained our point of view in closed doors as well as in open public (sic)”. “Hatred and witch-hunt against Kashmiris are at their peak outside Kashmir and most Kashmiris have been threatened, tortured and dragged out of their residences, educational institutions and hostels, forcing many of them to return home after leaving their studies and businesses,” the statement read.
“In such a charged atmosphere, common Kashmiri feels unsafe and relatives of pro-freedom people will surely be targeted. In such a disturbing atmosphere, we can’t afford to risk the life of anybody travelling out of the Valley.”
Geelani’s statement comes two days after his son (NaseemGeelani) was summoned by the NIA to its court in New Delhi in connection withits 2017 case filed into alleged funding of militancy in Kashmir.
“If questioning anybody, including my son, is a must, they (NIA) can do so in the Valley,” Geelani said, alleging that “Indian rulers and agencies have stooped to the lowest levels of moral and ethical bankruptcy, which no sane person can even think of.”
“Delhi rulers and its agencies harass and intimidate my family just to pressurise me, but these cowardly acts will yield nothing for them. In 2017 also, when the ghost of NIA threatened every freedom-loving person, particularly their families including common people and businessman, we voluntarily offered ourselves to be questioned by the investigating agency, but very cunningly the authorities didn’t dare to face us,” the statement read.
“If Delhi rulers treat us as law-breakers and want toclarify their doubts, I once again offer myself for such questioning. My pastmore than 50-year political career stands testimony to the fact that all theagencies, overt or covert, are well aware of my political stand.”
“I have been facing atrocities, curbs, jails, interrogation by Indian agencies for the last seven decades and how can they even think of any compromise by me using such mean and childish methods of threatening and humiliating my children,” Geelani said.
“I have consciously and willingly adopted this torturous and thorny path of perusing the movement for the basic and fundamental rights of my nation. No power on earth can deter me from this holy mission,” he said, adding: “Such maneuvering, much hyped-drama and sensational media narratives may have electoral dividends for the ruling class, but can never help their stay for too long.”