SRINAGAR: The hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference has denied that its leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani called all stone throwers in Kashmir as agents of the Indian security forces.
According to a spokesman of the Hurriyat (G), Mr Geelani actually made a distinction between those who throw stones without provocation and those who are provoked by the police and Indian security forces to do so.
Mr Geelani, whose rally in Sopore town on Friday was followed by violence between protestors and the police and paramilitaries, had quickly condemned stone pelting saying it was done by “agents”, trying to sabotage him.
He also asked people not to resort to violence during his poll boycott campaigns.
Mr Geelani’s comments triggered angry reactions on social networking sites, although none has spoken out against it through the media.
But the spokesman has clarified that the Hurriyat leader is of the opinion that Kashmiri youths have on many occasions been provoked by Indian security forces to throw rocks.
Security forces incite the youth to violence by stopping peaceful rallies and processions through brute force. However, unprovoked incidents of stone pelting do harm to the resistance movement – Syed Ali Geelani
He says the security forces incite the youth to violence by stopping peaceful rallies and processions through brute force.
However, he says that unprovoked incidents of stone pelting do harm to the resistance movement as opponents of the struggle take political advantage from it.
The spokesman says Mr Geelani condemned the stone pelting that took place after his public meeting in Sopore last Friday. The spokesman said that at times stone pelting is initiated at the behest of Indian agencies with a view to disturbing peaceful public gatherings.
He says that sometimes the young men people are carried away by their emotions and indulge in violence.
“But this cannot be justified,” he said.
