Srinagar, Feb 16: In first statement of its kind, hardline Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani Thursday said there is no dearth of “kind hearted” people in India. He said there were a need to reach out to them and apprise them about the real situation in Kashmir.
“There is no dearth of kind hearted people in India. We are trying to reach out to them and apprise them about the history of Kashmir, the problems faced by Kashmiris,” Geelani said in a statement issued here.
The ailing separatist leader is presently camping in Indian capital New Delhi and has met many people including senior lawyers.
Geelani said the electronic and print media in India were misleading the people of India by portraying wrong picture of Kashmir.
“Dr. Jain, owner of a private TV channel and his family couldn’t hold back their tears when I told them about the real situation in Kashmir and the atrocities being committed by Indian forces. They admitted their ignorance about this aspect of Kashmir,” he said.
The Kashmiri leader said the Indian media, by trying to brush the genuine struggle of Kashmiris in communal color was giving proof of its journalistic “dishonesty.”
Reiterating that he was not against dialogue, Geelani said India should give up its rigid stand that Kashmir was its integral party. “It should accept the ground realities and accept that Kashmir is a disputed territory. The bilateral talks whether announced or on Track-II diplomacy have never been fruitful nor are there any hopes of its success in future.”
He said inclusion of Kashmiri leadership in any dialogue process aimed at resolving the Kashmir dispute is must.
Referring to present situation in Pakistan, he country’s situation was very much concerning and policy of one-sided surrender by former president Gen Parvez Musharraf is the only reason for present problems facing the country. “The present government of Pakistan should resolve all its internal issues including Balochistan through mutual understanding. The country should refrain from using force against its own people,” he said.
