SRINAGAR: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and opposition National Conference working president Omar Abdullah on Monday hit out at hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani describing “hypocrisy as his trait”.
“It’s not surprising that the separatist camp has chosen to react to what the NC president Farooq Abdullah has said and not to what the Pakistan Prime Minister said,” Omar tweeted.
He was reacting to Geelani's statement in which he had denounced Farooq Abdullah for saying that “Azadi and independence is no option” and those demanding it was “wrong”.
Farooq had on Saturday said “Azadi and independence” was not an option for Kashmir as it was landlocked.
In a scathing tweet, Omar questioned octogenarian leader, “Can Geelani show me his reaction to Pakistan Prime Minister, who has repeated many times recently that Azadi is not an option for Kashmir. Hypocrisy is a Geelani trait.”
The hardline separatist leader had said the power-hungry politicians always played “deceit” and these “irresponsible and short-sighted” people have always served the interests of their masters.
Taking a dig at Farooq, Geelani had asked him to remember how his predecessors were “forced to beg for Chief Minister’s berth after being sacked from Prime Minister's status. It is an irony that these politicians are still following their politics based on betrayal and deceit’.”
Reacting to Geelani’s jibe that their “ancestors were forced to beg for CM’s berth”, Omar said, “Yes, while Farooq Abdullah’s ancestors were engaged in a struggle this man was fighting elections and cosying up to Janata Party”.
Before Farooq’s statement, Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had also said “independent Kashmir” was not an option but the separatist camp except for JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik had remained silent and did not react.
Geelani had been a member of State Legislative Assembly before the eruption of militancy. However, after turmoil in the State, he joined the separatist camp and favours the valley state's merger with Pakistan.
NC General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar also lashed out at the hardline separatist leader saying, “The ex-MLA Geelani should introspect. He should explain why he couldn’t muster the courage to criticize and question remarks made by Pakistan PM just two days before Farooq’s remarks.”
“What politics of hypocrisy is this? Geelani couldn’t say a single word about the Pak PM but expressed selective outrage when Farooq expressed his views on this issue”, Sagar added.