Hurriyat reviewing Sep 21 plan

Srinagar, Sep 17: Syed Ali Geelani’s Hurriyat faction is reviewing its call in which people were asked to demonstrate near army installations, spokesman of Hurriyat (G), Ayaz Akbar said Friday. Earlier the spokesman announced withdrawal of the plan fearing “disastrous consequences” in view of hectic army mobilization but later said the final decision would be taken on Saturday.



“We had some communication gap. All the leaders of Hurriyat Conference are not available for consultation and we are facing difficulties taking decisions. The plan is being reviewed and final decision would be announced on Saturday,” Ayaz told Rising Kashmir over phone from his residence.
He further said the draft of the resolution to be publicized on Sep 21 is also being finalized and the same would be released shortly. “This will be a public document and people can publicize it on internet and through other available media,” the spokesman said.
Hurriyat (G) Chairman Syed Geelani on Thursday clarified that people would not stage demos closer to army installation and one or two representatives would hand over the memorandum seeking end to hostilities to the senior army officer in a camp or picket. However the call for its extremely sensitive nature evoked sharper response from army authorities who have already worked out a “joint strategy” with J&K Police to keep the protesters at bay.
Government of India’s Defense Ministry has already appealed people of Kashmir not to heed Hurriyat call. A hectic public relations exercise is also afoot during which local elders from the inhabitations nearer to army camps and other installations are being approached and advised against the Hurriyat call.
As part of its contingency plan, army on Friday mobilized various units, which are meant for countering armed militants, to start “area domination” and sanitize the localities wherefrom the marches on Sep 21 could be expected. Large army patrols were seen moving in villages and towns of North and South Kashmir. Entry points to the sprawling army camps in North Kashmir have been draped with banners reading warnings.
This is for the first time in three months that separatists chose to protest against army. Ever since June 11, the day when a teargas shell blew out the brains of a 17-year-old student Tufail, triggering a chain reaction across Valley. 98 persons most of them teenagers have fallen to bullets and other ammunition fired by CRPF and police.