Home Ministry gives ‘go ahead’ to Delhi Police to register case against Geelani

NEW DELHI - The Union Home Ministry has given its approval to Delhi Police for registering a case against Kashmir’s separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani and few others for purportedly giving “hate speeches” at a seminar held in the national capital recently.

The Delhi Police have been asked to register a case in this regard.

On Oct.21, at the convention on ‘Azadi-The Only Way’, Geelani shared the stage with noted writer Arundhati Roy and pro-Maoist leader Vara Vara Rao among others.

Separatist leader Geelani, who gave a call to boycott the three interlocutors on Jammu and Kashmir during the seminar, flew back to Kashmir on Sunday.

The Central Government has drawn flak from Bharatiya Janata Party for letting separatist leader Geelani deliver a speech at the first place in the national capital.

BJP leader Arun Jaitley had accused the government of “looking the other way” when a number of separatist groups met at a conference to instigate secession and to say that India cannot be one and must be broken.

This, Jaitely had stated, was unacceptable as there was no right of free speech available to break up the country. This was against the sovereignty and integrity of the country and anyone exercising his right of speech in such a manner comes under criminal law.

He said it was an offence against the State.

However, rejecting the BJP leader’s charge, Home Minister P Chidambaram had said Delhi police would take action in accordance with law over the speeches made by Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah and others at a seminar held in New Delhi on October 21.

The Home Minister had stated that the authorities had videographed the entire proceedings of the seminar and submitted it to the legal advisers for opinion whether there has been a violation of the law.

“If it is established prima facie that the laws have been violated, Delhi police will take action in accordance with the law,” Chidambaram had said. ANI)