Geelani's Brand Of Politics Is Not Relevant In J&K Now
By A Special Correspondent
First publised on 2021-09-04 08:46:28
About the Author
Kashmiri separatist Syed Ahmad Geelani , who died on 1st September this year, was neither a friend of India nor of Kashmir. Undeniably, he was instrumental in fanning strife in the Valley with his pro-separatist and pro-Pakistani stand and, despite having many followers, led the Kashmiri people down the path of destruction. He left Jamaat-e-Islami Kashmir to found his own party, the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat which was a part of the larger Hurriyat Conference alliance until he quit the alliance in June 2020.
Geelani was famous for always adopting an anti-India stand and inciting the people to revolt against the Indian state. He called many general strikes in the Valley on imaginary pretexts which isolated the valley from the mainland for weeks and never allowed development to take place. Although he took part in the electoral process and was thrice elected to the J&K assembly, he never recognized the Indian state or the country's constitution.
He leaves behind a dark legacy that has no place in the changed situation. The Kashmiri people do not now need leaders like Geelani to misguide them and deprive them of the fruits of development that is taking place all over India. After the abrogation of Article 370, Kashmir has well and truly been integrated into India. The need for the people of Kashmir is now to choose their representatives wisely from people who will ensure that the development process does not pass them by. They have done so in local polls. They now need to disown the legacy of Geelani as and when elections are held for the assembly, whether as a UT or as a state (statehood will obviously be granted to J&K at the time the Centre thinks is right), and move on.
