Peace to prevail if Geelani arrested: Jethmalani

MUMBAI:  Demanding the arrest of Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Geelani, senior jurist and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rajya Sabha member Ram Jethmalani Thursday accused him of being "an intentional abettor of murder" who is on Pakistan's payroll and responsible for the current imbroglio in Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing mediapersons, Jethmalani said the youth who are indulging in violence against the police in the state are instigated by people "in the pay of Pakistan of whom Geelani is the leader".

The jurist said that if Geelani believes that pelting stones at the police is an "honourable and efficacious activity", he should display courage to take up stones and lead the gangs of youthful stone pelters.

However, he said Geelani knows well that some stray bullet in the crowds could cause injury or even death. "He is an intentional abettor of murder. The state and central government must pick up courage and arrest Geelani and incarcerate him in some jail far away from Srinagar," Jethmalani forcefully demanded.

"I will apologise to him if he (Geelani) swears by the Holy Quran that he has not been on the payroll of Pakistan at all relevant times. He is not a genuine friend of Kashmir but its mortal enemy," Jethmalani declared.

Jethmalani claimed that he was receiving calls daily from Kashmiri Muslims in Srinagar demanding that Geelani and his 'murids' (followers) need to be urgently immobilized.

The MP pointed out that Geelani has ruined Kashmir's trade, industry and incomes from tourism and exports, schools have been shut down and students are migrating to other cities in India, not to Pakistan or Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir (POK).

"We must offer autonomy to Kashmir in all its regions as much as Pakistan is willing to give to POK. Pakistan has given away a large area of Kashmir to China and planning to give more. Geelani does not ever protest," Jethmalani said.

The jurist further said that Geelani is "too uneducated" to know the meaning of the word 'azadi' (independence), and that a democracy of equal citizens is the highest form of azadi.

"Geelani is just a Hindu-hater by his religious conviction who does not know the real Islam of the Prophet of the majesty of its core teaching," Jethmalani, a former law minister, lashed out.

Jethmalani also hit out at Home Minister P. Chidambaram for what he termed his "inept handling of the Kashmir problem".

"It is unfortunate that Chidambaram, who has no clue of what is to be done, is handling it (Kashmir)," he said.