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Troop withdrawal campaign to continue: Geelani
Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who leaves for Delhi on Wednesday for an eye operation, on Tuesday said his campaign for withdrawal of troops from Jammu and Kashmir would continue in his absence.
Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who leaves for Delhi on Wednesday for an eye operation, on Tuesday said his campaign for withdrawal of troops from Jammu and Kashmir would continue in his absence.
"I am suffering from an eye ailment and will leave for Delhi on Wednesday for surgery as advised by doctors. The campaign for withdrawal of troops will continue in my absence," he told reporters in Srinagar.
Geelani, the chairman of the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference, had launched the campaign from Shopian on October 26 this year.
He is sponsoring district-wise strikes in Kashmir valley on Fridays to mobilise public support for demilitarisation.
The Hurriyat hawk said he planned to take the campaign for troop withdrawal to Jammu and Ladakh regions as well.
Turning to the Kashmir problem, Geelani, who is opposed to quiet dialogue with the Centre, said the solution to the issue lay in tripartite talks or implementation of the UN resolutions.
"We are not opposed to talks but these should be aimed at resolution of the Kashmir issue. Implementation of the UN resolutions or tripartite talks are the only way to resolve the problem," he said.
Geelani, however, said before talks New Delhi should revoke "harsh laws, release prisoners and withdraw troops to show sincerity".
He said he strongly opposed the division of the state. "Division of Jammu and Kashmir is not acceptable to us."
