BJP demands apology from Geelani over `Modi sent emissaries to Kashmir` claim

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday dismissed the claims of Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani that its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi had sent emissaries to meet the Hurriyat conference leader.

Zee Media Bureau/Supriya Jha
New Delhi/Srinagar: Calling the Hurriyat hawk`s claims as false and baseless, the Bharatiya Janata Party has demanded an apology from the Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah over his claim that Gujarat CM Narendra Modi had sent emissaries to Kashmir to create a soft corner for him. “It`s being reported that NDA`s PM candidate Narendra Modi sent emissaries to meet SAS Geelani. BJP categorically rejects these reports,” the BJP said in a statement today. “Mr Geelani`s statements are nothing but a bunch of lies with malicious intent,” the statement added. “Reports are mischievous, without basis, and are aimed at creating confusion among people.” Late last night also, the BJP had in a tweet posted on its Twitter account said that Geelani`s claims were ``false and mischievous``. BJP leader Nitin Gadkari today asked Geelani to name the emissaries who had met him. “Geelani said two people met him but he didn’t mention their names, their sanction or their status,” Gadkari said. “If Article 370 is removed, Kashmir will see a lot of development,” he added. 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. Geelani might be referring to a pro-Modi approach shown earlier by the Hurriyat Conference chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. The moderate Hurriyat leader had said that there could be hope for Kashmir issue if Narendra Modi followed ex-PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Meanwhile, J&K CM Omar Abdullah in a tweet asked who was lying – the BJP or the Hurriyat leader? Omar had list night questioned the “secrecy” of Modi`s emissaries saying that the BJP`s stance on Article 370 and AFPSA was already known.