The police detained the separatist leaders Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Syed Ali Geelani on Monday to foil a protest march towards Anantnag district.
Mr. Farooq and Mr. Geelani, who remain under house arrest, were detained outside their Srinagar residences when the tried to participate in the march.
“People’s right to peaceful assembly and protest should be restored forthwith. The forces should be withdrawn and leadership and people be allowed to visit the families of the martyrs. By adopting an intransigent and rigid approach, New Delhi was just prolonging the crisis and its military and iron fist approach cannot suppress the voice of the people,” the Mirwaiz said.
The march call resulted in major clashes in Anantnag, Pulwama and Srinagar districts. “Curfew remains imposed in 12 police stations of Srinagar and towns of Awantipora, Kulgam, Baramulla, Pattan and Anantnag,” said a police spokesman.
Rajnath’s comments callous: separatists
Separatist leaders on Monday described the remarks of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Kashmir and Pakistan “intimidating” and “callous.”
“Pakistan is a stakeholder of the dispute and talks between India and Pakistan on Kashmir have taken place more than 100 times. Asking people of Kashmir to surrender reflects foolishness,” said a separatist leader.
JKLF chief Yasin Malik said Mr. Singh’s “equating Kashmir’s struggle with terrorism is foolish. His comment on forming emotional bonds with Kashmir is like adding salt to the wounds. It shows the callous attitude of Indian leaders towards Kashmir.”
Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq asked New Delhi to “come out of the self-created myth that Pakistan was behind the present uprising.” “The street agitation is indigenous,” said the Mirwaiz.
Peoples Democratic Party MP Hameed Karra termed the Union Home minister’s two-day visit an “exercise in futility.” “No concrete steps were taken on ground to normalise the situation,” said Mr. Karra.
The Congress, which boycotted the meeting with Mr. Singh, said the visit was “mere eyewash.” It was expected that Mr. Singh would announce some confidence building measures but, unfortunately, he remained limited to his official versions, said a Congress spokesman.
