Srinagar: Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Geelani on Thursday convened a meeting of its Majlis-e-Shoora, at his Hyderpora residence cum office to discuss overall political situation, a handout said.
The participants expressed grave concern over the deteriorating condition of Kashmiri prisoners in and outside the state, particularly Tihar jail, it said. “Despite repeated statements and the off and on media reports, there seems no respite from the pathetic and humiliating conditions faced by these poor inmates,” the meeting observed.
The meeting termed Kashmir issue as a long-pending political and humanitarian issue to be settled by exercising free and fair plebiscite.
On the occasion, Hurriyat (G) leaders strongly condemned the “nocturnal raid and brutal attack” by forces on Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (TeH) district president Baramulla Mufti Abdul Ahad. “He (Ahad) is a well known social and political leader and such barbaric assault on him is unbearable and unacceptable,” they said.
In his presidential address, Geelani termed Kashmir issue as “a globally accepted dispute wherein the people’s right to self-determination is not only acknowledged but confirmed by more than a dozen resolutions”.
He said the “persistent denial of our basic rights has turned this beautiful piece of land in a battlefield where everyday killings, crackdowns, arrests, nocturnal raids and bulldozing residences have become a routine”.
The veteran pro-freedom leader expressed his serious concern over the “pathetic” condition of political prisoners and said that despite being political prisoners, they are denied every right guaranteed in the national or international jail manual.
“Revengeful attitude of the rulers in Delhi has crossed every limit of heartlessness and insensitivity. They wilfully prolong their stay in jails through their judicial victimization,” he said.
He cited the examples of Dr Mohammad Qasim, Maasrat Aalam Bhat, Dr G M Bhat, and Peer Saifullah and appealed to the civil society and media fraternity to highlight the “gross violations” against the political prisoners.
The ailing Hurriyat Conference chairman said New Delhi is taking revenge from the pro-freedom people. “Such means and revengeful acts have failed to deter any conscious freedom loving persons from the right path,” he said and urged people to boycott the upcoming assembly elections saying that the participation is tantamount to “treason with the blood of our martyrs”.
“Indian authorities are misleading the world community by portraying people’s participation in elections as a verdict in their favour. It is prerequisite to convey a strong message to the world community that we pursue a cherished mission of freedom and in no way, justify, defend or favour these elections,” he said.
The meeting was attended by the representatives of the amalgam including Ghulam Nabi Sumji, Molvi Bashir Irfani, Mohammad Rafiq Ganie, Mohammad Yaseen Aataie, Khawaja Firdous Wani, Gh. Mohammad Nagoo, Syed Mohammad Shafi, Mohammad Maqbool Magami, Yasmeen Raja, Masooda Jamaat-e-Islami, Arshid Aziz and Mubashir Iqbal.
