Hurriyat rejects PDP’s appeal, says Mehbooba has ‘turned this heavenly land into hell’

Geelani’s group makes BJP’s position more awkward as PDP spokesman had beseeched him to treat Mehbooba as his daughter and lend her ‘a chance’ to deliver as CM

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

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SRINAGAR, Aug 28: Making the ruling coalition partner BJP’s position further awkward, Hurriyat Conference’s pro-Pakistan faction headed by hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani has outrightly rejected PDP’s appeal seeking “a chance” for Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to deliver.

In a controversial statement, that had been understandably approved by the PDP President and Chief Minister, PDP spokesperson Dr Mehboob Beg had on Saturday beseeched Geelani to treat Ms Mufti as his daughter and give him a chance to bring about “change” in Jammu and Kashmir. “Geelani Sahab must think of Mehbooba Mufti as his daughter, who also happens to be the first Kashmiri Muslim woman to lead our state”, Dr Beg had said in his statement.

Significantly Dr Beg had assured Geelani that the head of the BJP-PDP government Mehbooba Mufti would step down if she failed to deliver. “She is not the conventional politician that we deal with most of the times. In case she does not bring about a change, she will be the first to own up and make way”, Dr Beg had said in the statement that has made BJP’s position awkward in the country.

Hurriyat on Sunday retorted tersely, rejecting PDP’s appeal as Mehbooba’s “emotional blackmail”.

“All Parties Hurriyat Conference while reacting to the PDP’s appeal to Geelani Sahab to treat Mehbooba Mufti as his daughter and help her to restore peace, has said that we have three prong relations with Ms. Mehbooba i.e. human, national and religious, but she has utterly failed to uphold any of these. Humanity teaches us to respect and honour the human beings irrespective of their caste, creed or culture, but she by her barbaric armed forces and uncontrolled police has turned this heavenly land into the hell”, the Hurriyat (G) spokesman said in a statement while responding to Dr Beg.

“Here every house is mourning the demise of their loved ones, thereby tarnishing the very fabric of this honourable and pious relation. Regarding the national and milli (religious) relations, Hurriyat said that it demands from her at least to be on the part of her people and join their just struggle but for the petty power and to please her masters she has been competing in killing and maiming her own people”, said the Hurriyat statement.

It added: “Commenting about the religious connections with her, Hurriyat said that 8 CRPF persons’ killing brought shame on her Muslim identity, but daily ruthless killings of our youth fail to appeal her conscious to feel sorry for being Indian collaborator. Hurriyat said that Geelani Sahab is the leader of this nation and he treats every woman as his daughters, but how is this “daughter” who feels happy to confine her fatherly figure in his house for years together but doesn’t hesitate to emotionally blackmail him to call for his help whenever her position is threatened”.

“Hurriyat said that as a ‘father’, he (Mr Geelani) advised her not to ruin her hereafter for the comfort and luxury of those who kill and destroy us. Hurriyat further questioned her that for how long you will suppress your conscience and continue to support our killer. Time will come when your inner will curse you for being so but time may not be on your side (sic.)”, the statement issued on behalf of Geelani said

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10 Secretariat employees injured as Tempo Traveller attacked at Bijbehara

State Times News

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SRINAGAR, Aug 28: Ten Durbar Move employees travelling on a Tempo Traveller from Jammu to Srinagar sustained injuries when their vehicle was attacked by a group of stone pelting youths at Bijbehara on Sunday.

Informed sources told STATE TIMES that earlier in the evening, groups of stone pelters attacked a cavalcade of government and private vehicles carrying back NET candidates to Anantnag after conclusion of their examination in Srinagar. Some of the targeted vehicles were damaged though it was not immediately clear if any of the students had got injured in the attacks at Sangam and Bijbehara.

Sources said that the Srinagar-bound vehicle of the Secretariat employees, including some from General Administration Department, suffered damage and 10 employees sustained injuries. One of them was hit in his head.

The injured employees were given medical treatment at Sub District Hospital Bijbehara. DC Anantnag Dr Syed Abid Rashid visited the hospital, enquired about their condition and arranged for their safe transit to their ultimate destination of Srinagar.

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[Published in today’s STATE TIMES]