Separatists flay Farooq's Kashmir statement - Hindustan Times

Separatists flay Farooq's Kashmir statement - Hindustan Times

Moderate and hard-line separatists in Kashmir on Friday took exception to Union minister and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah’s remark in the Parliament that the people of Kashmir want to be with India. “It’s unfortunate even after ruling J-K for more than six decades Abdullah does not

know what Kashmiris want. It’s purely for personal gains he is shamefully trying to be more loyal than the king,” said All Parties Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq while addressing a Friday congregation at historic Jamia Masjid.

The Mirwaiz lambasted Abdullah for not having compassion for those who were killed by security forces. “A member parliament from Hyderabad, who is not a Kashmiri, is concerned over rising human rights abuses but not Abdullah,” said the Mirwaiz, while demanding resolution of the Kashmir issue as per the wished of the people.

Hard-line Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani also took exception to Abdullah’s statement. “If he (Abdullah) sincerely thinks Kashmiris have India written on their hearts let him come to Srinagar’s Lal Chowk and dare the same words before the common man on the street,” said Geelani.

The Hurriyat has described Abdullah’s statement as “mockery of highest standard”. “The Abdullahs are losing ground in Kashmir. They cannot even visit their ancestral house in Soura. They drive in choppers to cover a few kilometers in Srinagar. Farooq Abdullah, who has written India on his heart, is a traitor not Kashmiris,” said the Hurriyat spokesman.

Geelani said if Abdullah believes that all Kashmiris have India on their minds then New Delhi should hold referendum to see what Kashmiris want.

Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chief Yasin Malik, who asked people to resort to peaceful protests, asked the government to stop use of force on unarmed protesters.

“By using excessive force, New Delhi is pushing the new generation to the wall like it did in 1989 and the youth had no option but to take up arms,” said Malik. He demanded political space for peaceful protests and urged the international community to force New Delhi to resolve the Kashmir problem.