'Villain' Geelani turns hero overnight

However, on Wednesday, the 81-year-old leader of the All Party Hurriyat Conference suddenly turned a darling of the local radio and television stations. From the Centre’s perspective, the objective is obvious: utilise Geelani as a leverage to tide over the mess that the beleaguered state government of Omar Abdullah finds itself in.

Geelani’s appeal to the people to hold peaceful protests had such an effect on the media that his press conference is being aired repeatedly as an attempt to change the situation at the ground level. Even national television channels are reaching out to the new “hero”.

Analysts say Geelani took a big political risk by appealing for peace, as the state government and the Centre have miserably failed to stop the protests, attacks on police stations, government buildings and railway stations. His request assumes significance in the backdrop of the rising anger among the people against the civilian killings.

And, his plea has started showing results on the ground, though there are reports that the hardline leader is facing private criticism from a section in the separatist camp for his sudden “change of mind.”

Born on September 29, 1929, Geelani is the chairman of the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference which has given the call for protests and strikes in the Valley as part of what it calls “Quit Kashmir Movement.”

Talking to Deccan Herald, Geelani said a solution to the Kashmir issue could only be reached through giving the people their right to self-determination. “I think this is the only practical solution for Kashmir. The people of Jammu and Kashmir must be given the right to decide whether they want to be with India or Pakistan or remain independent. Whatever be the decision, it should be acceptable to one and all,” he said.

Recalling the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s promise to grant Kashmiris the right to self-determination, he said the United Nations has passed a number of resolutions in this regard. Geelani said: “Unfortunately, the Indian government did not keep its promise, forcing Kashmiris to resort to armed struggle against Indian oppression.”

Also, Geelani is opposed to holding talks with the Central government. “These talks have proved futile as the government of India has always used the dialogue to buy time and mislead the international community,” he said.

Geelani said he was not against dialogue, but talks should be tripartite. “That means the talks should simultaneously be held between the governments of India, Pakistan and the Kashmiris.

Prior to that, New Delhi must accept Kashmir as a disputed issue, withdraw troops and release Kashmiri detainees,” he added.

Unlike Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman of the moderate faction of Hurriyat and Mohammad Yasin Malik, chairman of pro-independence Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front have held several rounds of separate talks with the then NDA government and the UPA government.

However, the process failed to achieve any breakthrough as the separatists accused the Centre of not being sincere.