“Supporting the legitimate struggle in Kashmir is obligatory for every Kashmiri, Syed Ali Shah Geelani issued this fatwa openly Wednesday.” He told a public meeting in a Kashmir village, asking his decree to be propagated to all parts of Kashmir.
“It is the vote-seekers here who are responsible for the destruction in our homeland because they have issued a license for every evil deed,” he said, calling upon people to remain alert to the needs of the movement as he said it had been nourished with blood.
Asking the government to reduce the duration of the Amarnath Yatra, Geelani said that only a limited number of pilgrims should be allowed into the ecologically fragile area as a huge influx posed a dire threat to its water resources and glaciers.
“Earlier, the yatra lasted only 15 days, but now it has been stretched to nearly four months,’ he said.
Geelani lambasted the army for plundering the forest wealth of Kashmir and destroying the valley’s economy. “The army is looting forests to make furniture to send home,” he said.
“A huge forest tract has been occupied by the army in Shopian, and nearly 4 lakh young trees are being chopped down,” he said.
Geelani warned the police and the administration against a crackdown on the Hurriyat and action against youth, saying that the reaction to the repressive measures would be massive if the practices were not halted forthwith.
End item/ 129
