SRINAGAR: Police thwarted attempts by separatist leaders Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who are under house arrest, to take out processions from their residences to Lal Chowk.
In the first instance, Mirwaiz, the chairman of moderate Hurriyat Conference, came out from his Nigeen residence located on the outskirts of Srinagar on Saturday afternoon.
He was immediately detained by the police and taken to Nigeen police station, officials said.
Separately, Geelani, who heads hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference, also tried to take out a march from his Hyderpora residence on Srinagar-Airport road.
However, the police stopped the octogenarian leader, following which he along with his supporters staged a sit-in on the link road, officials said. The sit-in lasted for over half-an-hour and ended peacefully, the officials said. The two Hurriyat factions as also JKLF led by Yasin Malik had given a call for ‘Lal Chowk March’ today and tomorrow to press for ‘right of self-determination’ in accordance with the UN resolutions.
While Mirwaiz and Geelani have been under house arrest, Malik is lodged in central jail here since his arrest on July 9 following widespread clashes in the aftermath of the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.
Prior to his arrest, Mirwaiz accused the central government of trying to hoodwink the people of the country and international community “by keeping a lid on the ground realities” in the valley.
“They are claiming that some people are misguided. If that is the case, there is a great opportunity for them to conduct a referendum and see what the people of Kashmir want,” he told reporters.
He said “the reality is that the people of Kashmir neither demand employment or contracts nor the subsidy. The only demand of the people is freedom and restoration of their rights. So the Indian government should read the writing on the wall.”
Apparently referring to India’s stand that the ongoing unrest in the valley is sponsored by Pakistan, Mirwaiz said, “repeatedly attempts are being made that the ongoing movement in Kashmir is sponsored and somebody is pushing it from behind.
“This is the movement of the people of Kashmir. It is not today’s movement or the movement started in 1947. The people of Kashmir are rendering sacrifices since 1931 for their rights.
“Our programme and our stand is crystal clear – the right of self-determination is the basis of our struggle,” he said.
He said no election, no economic package and “so-called” political initiative would work in Kashmir till the issue is resolved in accordance with the UN resolutions.
Meanwhile, Barring clashes at some places, situation was by and large peaceful today in Kashmir where separatists had planned to take out processions, to prevent which curfew was in force in entire Srinagar district and Anantnag town.
Meanwhile, broadband internet services were suspended across Kashmir, except some areas housing government offices and residences of officials, while mobile internet services remained suspended in the valley for the 36th consecutive day.
About half a dozen incidents of stone-pelting were reported from different parts of the valley, a police spokesman said.
The policemen were injured in a clash with stone-pelting protesters at Ashtingoo in Bandipora district of north Kashmir, the spokesman said, adding one of the injured was shifted to Delhi for advance treatment.
The clashes were also witnessed at Kanoosa, Aloosa and Kemah villages in Bandipora during the day but there was no report of any casualty, he said.
The spokesman said clashes between stone-pelting mobs and security forces also took place at Zampa Kadal in interior Srinagar and Palhallan in Pattan area of Baramulla district.
Barring these clashes, the situation remained by and large peaceful across the valley, the spokesman added.