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| Govt bans politics at Hazratbal | | Separatists intensify activities, Shah critically injured in stone pelting | | Early Times Reporter
Srinagar | July 4
Situation once again assumed volatile proportions in Srinagar this afternoon as Police resisted thousands of people marching towards Hazratbal shrine to celebrate victory on cancellation of land transfer orders to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board. The mob resorted to stone pelting in which senior separatist leader Shabir Ahmed Shah sustained critical injuries and was hospitalized.
Other separatist leaders, Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umer Farooq were placed under house arrest to prevent them from organising a rally to celebration the cancellation of land allotment to the Amarnath shrine board. The separatist Hurriyat Conference led by Farooq and its breakaway faction Tehreek-e-Hurriyat headed by Geelani had asked people to assemble at the Hazratbal shrine to offer what the separatists called thanksgiving prayers for the revocation of forest land allotment to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB).
A large number of police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were deployed near the Hazratbal shrine Friday to enforce law and order although no restrictions were imposed on movement of devotees.
According to a Police spokesman Shabir Ahmad Shah was leading a procession in Hazratbal. The procession started pelting stones, one of stones hit him near right ear. He was provided first aid by Police and shifted to SKIMS Soura. A CT scan of his head was taken which was found normal. He is out of danger, confirmed the Police spokesman.
This emerging situation gave the Peoples Democratic Party yet another opportunity to lash out at the government for banning political activities at the shrine. The government controlled state Wakf Board had issued orders of banning political activities at the religious places.
The Waqf Board's announcement came barely hours after the top Hurriyat Conference leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, unveiled his programme of a public march and gathering at the holy shrine at Hazratbal in Srinagar, for Friday "to renew the pledge to continue the Kashmir struggle for independence."
Reacting to Geelani's programme, the Waqf Board said that no political activity would be allowed in the holy shrine of Hazratbal. "The ziarat sharief at Hazratbal is exclusively meant for religious services, and under no circumstances would it be allowed to be turned into a political theatre," a spokesman of the Waqf Board said.
Earlier, in a clear indication of strengthening unity moves between Hurriyat factions, Geelani, had held a telephonic talk with his once arch rival, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, inviting him to attend the rally at the Hazratbal shrine on Friday. The Mirwaiz was learnt to have accepted the invitation. Both leaders plan to address the congregation after Friday prayers at the historic shrine.
Geelani's spokesman, Ayaz Akbar, said Geelani rang up the Mirwaiz and formally asked him join the 'Dargah rally' personally. The spokesman said that the Mirwaiz had acceded to the request. |
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