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Omar is nobody to invite us for talks: Geelani

Hard-line separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani today trashed chief minister Omar Abdullah's offer of dialogue over Kashmir issue.

Updated on: Aug 16, 2012, 20:12:11 IST
Hindustan Times | By , Srinagar
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Hard-line separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Thursday trashed chief minister Omar Abdullah's offer of dialogue over Kashmir issue.

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HT Image

A statement by spokesman of Hurriyat Conference led by Geelani reacted strongly to Abdullah's offer to separatists for talks with the Indian leadership in New Delhi. The spokesman termed the chief minister "a pawn" and asked him "not to interfere" into an issue which he has nothing to do.

"New Delhi is enough for us to invite (to talks) and he(Abdullah) is merely a pawn at the hands of New Delhi and shouldn't interfere in this issue," the Hurriyat spokesperson said.

In his August 15 speech at Bakshi stadium, Abdullah had asked separatists to get ready for talks with New Delhi and had said that neither gun nor mere economic measures would help resolve the Kashmir issue.

The separatist leader has also criticized Abdullah over, what he said, was his advice to shun violence.

"He should make this appeal to New Delhi which has deployed 7 lakh troops in Kashmir valley for holding the territory. He terms 2012 as peaceful year when the armed forces have killed a number of innocent civilians in staged gun battles with Hilal Ahmad Dar of Aloosa, Bandipora being the latest victim," he said.

"If he had any moral standing, he would have made a mention of these killings in his August 15 speech and reprimanded armed forces who perpetrated these cold blooded murders," he said.

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