Mirwaiz blasts Geelani, says `I don`t support Narendra Modi or BJP`

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq clarified that his earlier statements in support of the NDA government over Kashmir did not mean that he was supporting either the BJP or its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.

Zee Media Bureau/Supriya Jha Srinagar: Blasting Kashmir separatist leader Syed Ai Sah Geelani over his claims, Hurriyat Conference (M) leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq clarified that his earlier statements in support of the NDA government over Kashmir did not mean that he was supporting either the BJP or its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.
Addressing a press conference from his residence, Mirwaiz delivered a scathing attack on Hurriyat Conference (G) leader Geelani, accusing him of vitiating Kashmir`s atmosphere by making fabricated claims. Geelani had yesterday in an oblique remark suggested that Mirwaiz had met Modi`s emissaries over the Kashmir issue. “They have already started establishing contacts with the separatist leadership of the Kashmir. (Modi’s) men are trying to read the minds of Kashmiri leaders... These leaders actually met the emissaries of Modi,” Geelani had claimed. Geelani`s remarks appeared to be reinforced by an apparently pro-Modi approach shown by Mirwaiz earlier when he had said that there could be hope for Kashmir issue if Narendra Modi followed the path of ex-PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.  However, blasting all such perceptions, Mirwaiz said, “While answering a question I had said that NDA had taken some initiatives on Kashmir, but that doesn`t mean that we support Modi or BJP”. “Whenever we have held talks, we have held them publicly. Our stance remains same,” he added. Mirwaiz said that he was not in a place to help Modi as he was not contesting elections, unlike Geelani who had contested elections a dozen of times under the Indian Constitution. In a fiery attack on Geelani, he said, "Who the hell is Geelani to accuse those who have sacrificed their own blood for the Kashmir movement”. Further lashing out at Geelani, Mirwaiz said that the Hurriyat hawk must consider himself as the godfather of the Kashmir movement as “the struggle for Kashmir’s freedom is a people’s movement”. At an executive council meeting convened by Mirwaiz, he said that Geelani must prove his claims or apologise. “The allegations of Geelani regarding meeting Modi’s emissaries need to be substantiated by him with proof of when, where and with whom this meeting took place. If he fails to do so and has any moral integrity, he needs to apologize not to us but to the nation which he is trying to mislead,” said Mirwaiz. The BJP too demanded an apology from the Kashmiri separatist leader over his claim that Gujarat CM Narendra Modi had sent emissaries to Kashmir to create a soft corner for him. Party spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “SAS Geelani`s statements are false, we assure that no representatives of BJP met with him.”  “We demand an apology from Geelani for his false statements, we condemn this act of misleading the people of Kashmir,” Prasad added.  Geelani had yesterday claimed that he was approached by two men who tried to assure him of Modi`s commitment to a soft policy on Kashmir issue.    Geelani said how he told them about “Modi’s role as chief minister during the 2002 Gujarat riots” and that Modi could not be believed to be soft on Kashmir as he is an RSS man, and follows the same ideology.  Geelani further said that BJP`s men were engaged in efforts to convince the separatist leaders that Modi will keep a soft approach on Kashmir.