“90 percent of Indian TV and media were playing mouth-pieces for RSS and Sangh Parivar groups”
SRINAGAR: Kashmir’s octogenarian separatist leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani has said that he stands vindicated over claims that Village Defence Committees (VDCs) were “terrorist wings” of the rightwing Hindu organisation, Sangh Parivar.
“We had discussed the matter a month ago and now the intelligence report published have literally confirmed our claim that a particular community in Jammu province is being harassed and it is a part of a planned conspiracy,” he said.
He was referrring to a report in the Indian Express which said that intelligence reports blamed Bajrang Dal, a wing of the Sangh, for stoking communal violence in Kishtwar that left three people dead.
The role of the VDCs, villagers armed to fight militancy in remote areas, has come into question following the clashes. Separatist groups in the valley have accused these committees of using the weapons to harass Muslims.
Geelani has called for a shutdown on Saturday and demanded dissolution of these Defence Groups.
“That (intelligence) report has “in clear words” denied the statements of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Home Secretary Suresh Kumar which provided a clean chit to Sangh Prewar and VDC members,” he said.
Delhi Media Biased
Geelani, who heads the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference, has also criticized the role of Delhi-based electronic and print media. He claimed that while reporting about Kashmir they behave in a “biased and arrogant” manner.
He said there was a growing influence of “fanatic elements” over the media and claimed that 90 percent of Indian TV and media were playing mouth-pieces for RSS and Sangh Parivar groups.
“The tall claims of India to be a great republic has proved wrong and it appears that in near future the country will come out openly as a Hindu Rashtra. In that case it will be a difficult place for minorities, including Muslims to live in (sic),” he said.
