SRI NAGAR: Hardline Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has urged New Delhi to exhibit Insaniyat (humanity), Kashmiriyat and Jamhooriyat (democracy) to resolve the Kashmir dispute. “We want India to exhibit Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat and Jamhooriyat to resolve the Kashmir dispute,” Geelani said in 2.30- minute video message, which has gone viral on social media.
The 87-year-old was discharged from a Srinagar hospital on Sunday. He was admitted in the hospital on August 13 after he complained of abdominal cramps, dehydration and weakness.
Geelani, who favours Kashmir’s merger with Pakistan, said it was India, which took the Kashmir issue to the United Nations. “After discussion at the world body, it was decided by UN that Jammu and Kashmir was a disputed territory and people of the State should be given right to self determination to determine their fate — whether they want to live with India or accede to Pakistan. Eighteen resolutions have been passed by the UN and the then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru signed these resolutions and assured that the J&K people would be given their right to determine their fate.”
“We are demanding that right. India needs to fulfill its promise of giving Kashmiris their right to self-determination to choose their future,” he said.
Geelani said they are not demanding that legal part of India be separated.“We want India that should prosper, develop and progress but it should not deny basic rights to people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
CRPF pulls out additional companies from Kashmir
In view of the improvement in the situation in Kashmir and killing of over 130 militants in an “All Out” operation launched by security forces, the paramilitary CRPF has pulled out all additional troops brought to the Valley for Amarnath yatra duty.CRPF spokesperson in Srinagar, Rajesh Yadav, told New Indian Express that the additional companies brought to Kashmir for yatra duty during the annual Amarnath pilgrimage has been pulled out from Kashmir in a phased manner.“As of now, all the additional companies that were brought to Kashmir for yatra duty have moved out,” he said.
Over 250 paramilitary companies, including 129 CRPF companies, were brought from outside the state for yatra deployment in the Valley to ensure smooth and peaceful conduct of the pilgrimage, which began on June 29 and concluded on August 7.According to official sources, about 55 CRPF battalions are deployed in the Valley and 15 are stationed in Jammu, the winter capital of the state.
A security official, pleading anonymity, said initially it was decided that some of the CRPF companies brought for yatra duty would be retained and deployed for law and order and counter-insurgency duties in south Kashmir, which has emerged as the hotbed of militancy. The official said the security situation in south Kashmir has shown marked improvement after three battalions of army were deployed in the region and new army camps set up in volatile areas to prevent movement of militants.