After amnesty, Omar sounds tough on stone pelters

After giving amnesty to around 1200 youth involved in stone throwing, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah today sounded tough against any more such incidents.

After giving amnesty to around 1200 youth involved in stone throwing, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Monday sounded tough against any more such incidents.

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Responding to the questions of reporters that the arrest of youth after the amnesty offer has not stopped, Omar said that he was not responsible.

"The youth who were arrested till I announced amnesty, their cases are being withdrawn. After that wherever stone pelting has happened it is not me who is responsible but those who went to those places and then stone pelting took place," said Omar in an apparent reference to hard-line separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

A government spokesperson decried attempts of Geelani to "disrupt peace by making provocative speeches which invariably lead to serious law and order disturbances in the Valley."

In a statement released to the media, the spokesperson said whenever Geelani is allowed to address gathering at any place, it is followed by “large-scale stone pelting and attacks on police and paramilitary forces leading to serious law and order problem in these areas.”

"If after amnesty, the situation is being tried to worsen and the youth are being used it is not us who are responsible but those who are playing with the future of youth," Omar accused.

However, a statement by Geelani denied that his visits to any place were leading to law and order problems. "It is only the brutal attitude of police which results in chaos and confusion after we successfully conclude a peaceful rally," the statement said.

Geelani termed the stone throwing after the conclusion of his public programs as part of "government’s plot" to stop him from moving out of his home.