New Delhi: Congress today steered clear
of the issue of action against hardline Hurriyat leader Syed
Ali Shah Geelani and noted writer Arundhati Roy under charges
of sedition for their alleged anti-India speech in New Delhi a
few days back.
"I am not SHO of Tilak Marg police station. How can I
say what sort of case could be made against them. This is for
the SHO to find out whether a case is made against them or
not", party spokesperson Manish Tewari told reporters when
asked what kind of action the party would prefer against them.
At a convention in the capital on `Azadi--The Only
Way`, Geelani shared the stage with Roy and pro-Maoist
leader Vara Vara Rao among others. Geelani, who harped on
"independence" for Kashmir, was heckled by a section of the
audience with one of them throwing a shoe at him.
Roy, a Booker Prize winning author, had said, "Kashmir
has never been an integral part of India. It is a historical
fact. Even the Indian government has accepted this."
The Congress spokeperson, however, said that Roy was a
writer and any opinon that she gave could be her personal
opinion, which does not represent anyone.
"She is not from any party or representing any group.
if her views violate some law, it is then for the concerned
agencies to find out whether any case is made out against
her," Tewari said.
He also said that BJP should learn something from its
own MP Ram Jethmalani, who came out in support of the Kashmir
interlocutors led by Dileep Padgaonkar, who was under fire
from BJP for speaking in favour of involving Pakistan for the
resolution of Kashmir dispute.
"BJP should first reply to what Ramjethmalani has
said. He has made a correct statement. BJP should pay serious
attention to what Jethmalani had said," Tewari said.
The noted lawyer turned BJP MP had yesterday said it
was "childish and churlish" to accuse Roy and Geelani of
internationalising the issue, a line which was opposed to the
party line on the issue.
BJP had accused Padgaonkar of internationalising the
Kashmir problem after he said a solution to the issue was not
possible without involving Pakistan.
-PTI
