Rakib Altaf
SRINAGAR: Senior separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has asked youth to maintain decency while using social networking websites, but said the arrests of three young men who had allegedly threatened girls of a rock band were “unwanted”.
“The establishment with the dint of force is creating terror and is indulged in violation of basic human rights. Suppressive measures in no way are the solution, instead they complicate the already tense situation,” Geelani said in a statement from New Delhi.
Three young men, two of them students, were arrested late on Wednesday by the police, investigating into threat comments made on the Facebook page of Pragaash – the all-girl rock band which has now been disbanded.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has promised to deal strictly with those who made the threats online and said more arrests in this case are likely.
The young high-school girls caused a controversy after their band performed in December. Initial reports that they had given up prompted the chief minister and activists to express their support to prevent them from quitting.
But then they disbanded after the Grand Mufti issued an edict terming singing as un-Islamic, perhaps in reaction to Abdullah’s tweet in the girls’ favour.
One of the girls told media in an interview that they understood “our people were not happy with our singing”.
Geelani says the authorities deliberately played up the whole issue “to portray the society as barbaric” and to “divert public attention” from a government-appointed panel’s report which had suggested amendments to the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).
He has asked the youth to “focus on highlighting human rights violations” rather than commenting on what he said were “non-serious issues” .
“Since last 22 years thousands of Kashmiri women were sexually harassed and molested by Indian forces and neither a single case was registered … Justice Verma panel had created some hope and enthusiasm but Indian authorities depicted their stubborn attitude and rejected the said recommendations,” Geelani said.
“The world has expressed their dismay and displeasure over the sexual assault against women in Kashmir and India, in order to deviate attention of human rights organisations and to overcome this displeasure and embarrassment, plotted a non-serious issue (sic),” he added.
The octogenarian leader has also criticized sections of the media for an extensive coverage of the whole issue. “They too share this notorious game by providing their support,” Geelani said.
