SRINAGAR'JAMMU: The new-found unity among separatists groups in Kashmir came under heavy strain as hardline Hurriyat Conference Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani sought an oath from people to declare him as the leader of the ongoing agitation in the valley. Geelani's call did not go down well with moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, prompting the hardline leader and his aides to go on a damage control exercise.
A tense Jammu and Kashmir remained on the edge with both sides of the Amarnath divide protesting as tens of thousands of agitators marched through Srinagar to attend a Hurriyat-sponsored rally culminating in an appeal to the UN to recognize the right to self-determination. Jammu, the epicenter of the agitation for revoking the cancellation of Amarnath land transfer, saw the stir being intensified with thousands of protestors courting arrest.
An Udhampur report said police resorted to lathicharge and teargassing to disperse protestors. In a near contest of upmanship between the Valley and Jammu region, each was trying to outdo the other in the ferocity of protests. In Srinagar, slogan-shouting protestors waving religious and black flags came in hundreds of private vehicles including trucks, buses, cars and motorcycles to the TRC grounds in an attempt to proceed to the UN office in a procession but were disallowed.
Police barricades were broken at several places but there were no reports of any major violence. Amid tight security, small groups from 27 political, business and social organizations represented in the Hurriyat-led Coordination committee were allowed to proceed to the UN office in Sonawar and submit copies of a memorandum finalized by the separatist group. Authorities earlier refused permission to the separatists leaders to take a huge procession to the United Nations office apprehending violence.
Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik did not accompany the group that went to the UN Observers' office located in a highly sensitive area. The memorandum asked the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon to intervene forthwith in Jammu and Kashmir and called upon India to take effective measures in giving the people of the state the right to self determination.
Meanwhile, Geelani tried to make amends later over his provocative remarks. "If any word of my speech at the rally (at Tourist Reception Centre Ground) has the potential to harm the unity of the (freedom) movement, I sincerely apologies for it," Geelani told reporters at a hurriedly convened press conference at his residence. He said the freedom movement was above personalities and the cause of the nation should be supreme consideration. Earlier, media advisor to the moderate Hurriyat Conference Shahidul Islam said his amalgam did not agree with Geelani's utterance about leadership issue at the rally.
"The present movement is due to the joint leadership of all sections of society which includes both Hurriyats," he said. Separatist sources said Geelani has rushed close aide Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai to the residence of the Mirwaiz to "clear" the air between the two sides.
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