The police on Sunday foiled a seminar which was scheduled by hardline separatist faction headed by Syed Ali Geelani.
The seminar, titled ‘Islam – the protector of humanity’, was to be hosted by Geelani’s faction at its office in Hyderpora on the city’s outskirts.
The faction had invited “Islamic scholars, intellectuals and pro-freedom leaders” to attend the seminar. The police however placed restrictions, disallowing entry into the Hurriyat faction’s office, the venue for the seminar.
The police did not issue any statement about the foiling of the seminar, but the separatist faction released pictures of its activists being detained outside the venue.
In a statement, Geelani described the proposed seminar as an “academic programme” and criticised the state government for imposing restrictions.
Meanwhile, separatist leader Yasin Malik of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front today addressed a rally in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. Malik said “an atmosphere of fear and terror” had engulfed the state and blamed the RSS and “other fascist forces” for creating a “fear psychosis” in the Jammu region.
“In their pursuit to get power, they are hell-bent upon dividing these areas on communal lines,” he said. Malik also accused the police of oppressing the youth and forcing them to pick up arms.
“The police oppression forced youth of this land to resort to an armed struggle and the rulers, by repeating the same oppressive measures, are pushing youth to the wall and hence promoting violence,” Malik said.
