Paying rich tributes to slain youth in Lam Tral encounter, Chairman Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Geelani on Wednesday said the youth are laying their precious lives for a “sacred” cause and are “sacrificing their today for our tomorrow”.According to a statement issued to GNS, Geelani addressed the mourners over the phone and said, “I pay my heartfelt and sincere tribute to these martyrs.”He lamented those “who instead of showing honour and respect for martyrs, are issuing senseless decrees and disrespecting them. They are suffering from frustration and bartering for their personal interests”.“I want to covey them that whoever is killed protecting his wealth is a martyr, and whoever is killed protecting his religion is a martyr, and whoever is killed protecting his life is a martyr, and whoever is killed protecting his family is a martyr,” Geelani said.Geelani urged people to boycott upcoming elections.He said participation in these elections tantamount to “treason with the blood of martyrs”. “Indian authorities are misleading world community by portraying people’s participation in elections as a verdict in their favour,” he said.
“Don’t cast your vote in their favour and maintain distance from all these parties,” Geelani said, adding, “All these parties including PDP, NC, People’s Conference, Congress and Communist Party are stooges and hand in glove with killers.”Hurriyat (G) chairman said New Delhi is using its military might to crush the basic rights of Kashmiri people. “India suffers from arrogance of power. On one hand, it is parroting for fight against global terrorism and on the other, it has unleashed a reign of terror in occupied state,”“It is a cherished and patriotic mission,” he said, adding that since past seven decades “six lakh people were brutally massacred”.Referring to brutal murder and rape of an innocent 8-year-old Kathua girl, Geelani alleged that both BJP and police supported those accused in gruesome incident.He warned against sectarian crisis in Kashmir and urged preachers and people not to fall prey to conspiracies aimed at dividing people to trigger civil war in Kashmir.“It is unfortunate, and as true believers, we should avoid this,” Geelani said while quoting the Qur’anic verse: “And hold fast all of you together to the rope of Allah and be not divided among yourselves.” (GNS)