J-K: Police use force to foil party convention by Geelani

On Sunday, TeH had announced a party convention at the Hyderpora residence of Geelani to commemorate its 11th foundation day. But since morning, police had blocked all the roads leading to Geelani’s residence and deployed a heavy contingent of police to prevent the party convention.

As the party members weren’t allowed towards Geelani’s residence, they staged a sit-in at Hyderpora. However, police swung into action, canecharged the protestors and fired dozens of tear smoke shells to disperse them. Several Hurriyat activists were injured in police action.

“This is state terrorism,” TeH spokesman Ayaz Akbar told The Indian Express. “Before coming to power Mufti was talking about ‘battle of ideas’ and ‘goli nahin boli’ (dialogue instead of bullets). Now to remain in power, he has surrendered everything to New Delhi. The government here is run by (NSA) Doval now and Mufti is a mere spectator”.

Akbar said that denying the political space to the separatists could have serious consequences for the government.

However, PDP, which before coming to power had said that it would release Geelani from house detention, now says he doesn’t have a “good track record”.

“He (Geelani) doesn’t have a good track record. Where ever he goes, it is followed by stone pelting,” PDP Chief spokesman Mehboob Beg told The Indian Express.

When asked why Geelani was not allowed a party convention inside the four walls of his residence, Beg didn’t have an answer. “Now onwards, he would not be kept under house detention,” he said.

Hurriyat chairman Geelani is under house arrest since July 2010 and was released only for a month in 2013 when he was released by Omar Abdullag government. Following massive public rallies, he was then again put under house detention.