Geelani calls for observing Dec 10 as “Black Day”

In his first statement issued by hardline Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Geelani after abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, he has appealed people of Kashmir to observe International Human Rights Day on December 10 as “Black day.”

A local news gathering agency quoting a statement of the Hurriyat said, “On the directions of Geelani, Majlis-e-Shoura (executive body) meeting of the separatist amalgam was held in which people of Kashmir were appealed to observe December 10 as Black day so that the world comes to know about brutalities of India in the Valley.”

In the handwritten statement in Urdu, the octogenarian ailing separatist leader has claimed that Kashmiri people were fighting for their rights since last 70 years “as New Delhi has deprived them of the same.”

He has also appealed the international community to use its good offices to pressurize government of India to release “people are undergoing detention since long.”

This is the first statement issued by any separatist organisation since August 5 when the authorities snapped internet services across Kashmir. Before August 5, most of the separatist organisations would issue statements almost daily in which they used to bash the government of India and its policies in Kashmir.

The statements would get prominent space in local newspapers. However, post abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, local media has almost not carried any news related to the separatists and the snapping of the internet has also ensured that statements don’t reach to newspapers online.

A senior police officer told DH that ensuring separatists don’t utilise local media as a tool to incite people was one of the reasons for situation remaining by-and-large peaceful in the last four months. “Besides local media, the separatists were using social media to mobilise people for protests. All this has been taken care off so far and results are before everybody,” he added.