SRINAGAR: The hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani has rejected an Intelligence Bureau (IB) official’s talks offer with Government of India (GoI) saying, “It is a time buying tactic”.
A spokesman of Hurriyat-led by Geelani, G A Gulzar disclosed today that an IB official proposed a dialogue between New Delhi and Geelani last evening.
He, however, did not identify the IB official, who approached the Geelani.
The spokesman said Geelani refused the talks offer saying, “India should first address the Kashmir dispute in its historical perspective, acknowledge the disputed status of the Kashmir and begin demilitarization to hold a referendum”.
“Geelani told the IB official that Kashmir issue has turned into a flash point and unless India accepts its disputed nature, no progress is expected and horrors of war will haunt people living in sub-continent,” he said.
The spokesman said Geelani told IB official that people of J&K are peace-loving and Indian leaders can play a key role in resolving the issue by respecting their aspirations instead of adopting coercive measures.
Geelani said the need of the hour is to acknowledge the ground realities of the long-pending Kashmir dispute.
“Kashmiri people have never accepted the ‘forced occupation’ of India and they are at war with India for past seven decades,” the spokesman quoted Geelani as telling the IB official.
Geelani further told the IB official that volatile situation in J&K was a natural reaction against India’s stubborn attitude. “Delhi was desperately trying to impose its verdict on the state through military might.”
He said instead of adopting political and sane approach, India was following coercive measures in Kashmir.
“I, with a sincere heart, want to convey that we are yearning for peace and seek peaceful resolution to the long- pending Kashmir issue. We are not against the dialogue process but we favour only meaningful and result-oriented negotiations. We have a clear agenda and our viewpoint is that the issue can be resolved through dialogue,” he said adding, “Over 150 rounds of bilateral negotiations have yielded no results because India never illustrated sincerity”.
“It is responsibility of Indian leadership to prepare conducive atmosphere for talks between all its stakeholders including Pakistan,” added Geelani.