Congress steers clear of issue of action against Geelani, Roy

Congress on Wednesday steered clear of the issue of action against hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani and noted writer Arundhati Roy under charges of sedition for their alleged anti-India speech in New Delhi a few days back.

Congress on Wednesday steered clear of the issue of action against hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani and noted writer Arundhati Roy under charges of sedition for their alleged anti-India speech in New Delhi a few days back.

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"I am not SHO of Tilak Marg police station. How can I say what sort of case could be made against them. This is for the SHO to find out whether a case is made against them or not", party spokesperson Manish Tewari told reporters when asked what kind of action the party would prefer against them.

At a convention in the capital on 'Azadi--The Only Way', Geelani shared the stage with Roy and pro-Maoist leader Vara Vara Rao among others. Geelani, who harped on "independence" for Kashmir, was heckled by a section of the audience with one of them throwing a shoe at him.

Roy, a Booker Prize winning author, had said, "Kashmir has never been an integral part of India. It is a historical fact. Even the Indian government has accepted this."

The Congress spokeperson, however, said that Roy was a writer and any opinon that she gave could be her personal opinion, which does not represent anyone.

"She is not from any party or representing any group. if her views violate some law, it is then for the concerned agencies to find out whether any case is made out against her," Tewari said.

He also said that BJP should learn something from its own MP Ram Jethmalani, who came out in support of the Kashmir interlocutors led by Dileep Padgaonkar, who was under fire from BJP for speaking in favour of involving Pakistan for the resolution of Kashmir dispute.

"BJP should first reply to what Ramjethmalani has said. He has made a correct statement. BJP should pay serious attention to what Jethmalani had said," Tewari said.

The noted lawyer turned BJP MP had yesterday said it was "childish and churlish" to accuse Roy and Geelani of internationalising the issue, a line which was opposed to the party line on the issue.

BJP had accused Padgaonkar of internationalising the Kashmir problem after he said a solution to the issue was not possible without involving Pakistan.