Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 22: Even as senior separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani has resigned as Chairman of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, insiders reveal that backdoor job given by the state government to his grandson was the main cause of resentment against the pro-Pakistan hawk.
Sources said Geelani's colleagues in Hurriyat were upset with his silence over the backdoor job given to his grandson Anees Ul Islam by the state government.
During the 2016 unrest, which erupted in the wake of killing of Hizb militant Burhan Wani, when Geelani was asking the youth to take to streets, his family had been lobbying for a job for Islam.
Finally when Geelani asked the youth to make Jamia Masjid Chalo call a success, his own grandson was facing interview at SKICC for job.
Islam, son of Altaf Fantoosh, who is presently jailed for terror funding, was subsequently given the high profile job while Geelani intelligently asked people of Kashmir to "call off the prolonged agitation and resume their normal life."
Sources said the favoritism in Geelani's family at the cost of lives of people of Kashmir had become a point of discussion for the Hurriyat leaders.
"What was most painful was Geelani Sahab's silence over the backdoor job given to his grandson. Had he (Geelani) clarified his position before us, we wouldn't have objected, but the problem is that he never spoke which only raised more questions," said a senior leader of the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat on the condition of anonymity.
He said in last few months during the meetings of the executive body of the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, Geelani would face criticism for his alleged connections with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and how he used the public sentiment for the benefits of his family.
Sources said amid growing resentment Geelani was compelled to resign from Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, the party he founded in 2004.
Geelani is already facing charges of having supported his son-in-law Altaf Fantoosh at the cost of the interests of the Tehreek -e-Hurriyat. Interestingly many PDP leaders have already been openly supporting Geelani as the "tallest leader of Kashmir."
"Geelani family is close to PDP and its an open secret, so there was a lot resentment against him," said a Tehreek-e-Hurriyat leader. |
