Centre not in favour of charging Geelani, Arundhati

[gubbi]

Centre not in favour of charging Geelani, Arundhati

The Union government has no intention of filing criminal charges against Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the writer Arundhati Roy and others who spoke in favour of ‘Azadi’ for Jammu and Kashmir at a seminar in the Capital last week, highly placed sources told The Hindu on Tuesday.

The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party is taking a strident position on the matter and insisting that a case of sedition be lodged against those who spoke at the seminar but the Centre believes acting on this demand would undermine the fragile dialogue process the government’s three interlocutors have begun in Srinagar.

With Dileep Padgaonkar, Radha Kumar and M.M. Ansari urging those Kashmiris raising slogans in favour of ‘azadi’ to put their thoughts down in writing, the irony of criminalising mere speech has not been lost on New Delhi.

“We knew the BJP would try and make the holding of the seminar an issue,” the sources said, adding that police permission to hold the public event was given because the organisers could easily have gone to court if the authorities had tried pre-emptively to gag them. The meeting was thus videographed and the proceedings have been scrutinised. The sources said Ministry of Home Affairs permission was not needed for the police to file a case of sedition but added that North Block did not believe charging or arresting Mr. Geelani and Ms. Roy made any sense.

“Geelani himself has said some 70 cases have been filed against him so let there be a 71st,” the sources said. They also admitted – as Ms. Roy herself notes in a statement issued Tuesday – that scores of people in the Valley say every day what the writer and the Hurriyat leader are accused of saying at the meeting. If the two of them are now to be arrested for sedition for giving a speech, then so would scores of people in Srinagar.

The sources welcomed the efforts the three interlocutors had made so far and said the Centre’s aim was to begin a broad political process with all sections of the people in the state but especially with those who say they want autonomy and azadi.

 

[gubbi]

Congress refuses to give much importance to Arundhati's remarks

New Delhi: Congress today refused to attach much importance to the views of author Arundhati Roy on Kashmir, saying it was "erroneous" to do so as she was not in the political mainstream but maintained that police would take action if she had violated the law.

"I do not understand why exaggerated importance is given to her who is not in the political mainstream. It is erroneous and uncalled for. Is she an MP? Is she a political leader. She is an author," party spokesman Manish Tewari told reporters here.

He, however, said that a very robust government process is there in the country and if at all there have been violations of law, Delhi Police can register a case and take action as per law.

Tewari said Article 19 of the Constitution is clear on freedom of speech but one could not promote sedition or secession as per the Article.

At the convention on 'Azadi--The Only Way' here last week, hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani had shared the stage with writer Arundhati Roy and pro-Maoist leader Vara Vara Rao among others.

The Booker Prize winning author had said, "Kashmir has never been an integral part of India. It is a historical fact. Even the Indian government has accepted this."

BJP had taken strong exception to the remarks, saying freedom of speech did not mean the right to demand secession. It had accused the Centre of "looking the other way" and not taking any legal action.

Tewari said if Geelani and Roy have said anything which has violated the law, Delhi Police has the videotapes and was looking into the issue.

Asked about the statement of BJP MP Ram Jethmalani supporting the interlocutors for Kashmir, Tewari said he was not sure how much importance his views carried in the party as he had joined it recently.

"The problem with the BJP is that it does not have a line on the interlocutors. When former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had said that 'insaniyat ke dayre mein baat karenge', he was not addressing it to the mountains and valleys".

He said the statement of Vajpayee was obviously aimed at those who were not in the political mainstream.

"I want to ask the BJP its stand on the statement of its former Prime Minister. Do they agree with it or not," the spokesman said.

 

[marcos98]

hell yeah , just ignore these self proclaimed truth-bearer.
they'll stop their rant if this exaggeration stop.

centre is acting sensibly.

 

[DEXTOR]

I think this will be a good move, cause if these losers got arrest then they will got success in there pre-planned cheap popularity..!

 

[garibnawaz]

centre is acting sensibly.

Excuse me.

Raj Thackrey making speeches for marathi's is traitor.

His 83 year old uncle making speeches against shah rukh khan and his movie is traitor.

Arundhati and Geelani deserves Bharat-Ratna?

Last time I heard the same UPA asking for ban on Raj and Bal Thackrey.

But now they dont want to act against these traitors is good thing?

I am dissappointed gents.

GB

 

[Bill Longley]

I think this will be a good move, cause if these losers got arrest then they will got success in there pre-planned cheap popularity..!

boy like Kashmiri freedom fighters you and ur people , according to ur logic were losers. but after 1947 things changed and now india is a power due to sacrifices of those who according to ur logic were losers

kashmiries are today appearing to you as losers but God willing they will get what they are sacrificing for...i.e. complete azadi from draculian Indian imperial rule

 

[marcos98]

Excuse me.

Raj Thackrey making speeches for marathi's is traitor.

His 83 year old uncle making speeches against shah rukh khan and his movie is traitor.

Arundhati and Geelani deserves Bharat-Ratna?

Last time I heard the same UPA asking for ban on Raj and Bal Thackrey.

But now they dont want to act against these traitors is good thing?

I am dissappointed gents.

GB

kashmir issue > petty local maharashtra politics .

i mean why give some attention-seeking writer undue exaggeration.
who gives sh*t what she thinks.

 

[garibnawaz]

boy like Kashmiri freedom fighters you and ur people , according to ur logic were losers. but after 1947 things changed and now india is a power due to sacrifices of those who according to ur logic were losers

kashmiries are today appearing to you as losers but God willing they will get what they are sacrificing for...i.e. complete azadi from draculian Indian imperial rule

Any idea why East Pakistan was lost?

How about I put my home in order first before scuttling some one else's?

GB

 

[Von Hölle]

boy like Kashmiri freedom fighters you and ur people , according to ur logic were losers. but after 1947 things changed and now india is a power due to sacrifices of those who according to ur logic were losers

kashmiries are today appearing to you as losers but God willing they will get what they are sacrificing for...i.e. complete azadi from draculian Indian imperial rule

Well you should never loose hope..afterall umeed par duniya kayam hai!!

 

[scrumpy]

Excuse me.

Raj Thackrey making speeches for marathi's is traitor.

His 83 year old uncle making speeches against shah rukh khan and his movie is traitor.

Arundhati and Geelani deserves Bharat-Ratna?

Last time I heard the same UPA asking for ban on Raj and Bal Thackrey.

But now they dont want to act against these traitors is good thing?

I am dissappointed gents.

GB

What the Thackareys do is actually a thinly veiled threat of violence in case people don't do as they say. Even then, I haven't heard of any action against them.

What threat of violence has Ms Roy made? Even if she did, who do you think will create trouble on her behalf?

As Abir stated correctly, the state is answerable to the people and not vice versa. People have differing opinions. Learn to respect their rights to have differing opinions.

We live in democratic India. Not Liu Xiaobo's China.

 

[Bill Longley]

Any idea why East Pakistan was lost?

How about I put my home in order first before scuttling some one else's?

GB

east Pakistan was lost due to same Policies which Indian Imperial raj is practiceing today in Kashmir

 

[garibnawaz]

kashmir issue > petty local maharashtra politics .

i mean why give some attention-seeking writer undue exaggeration.
who gives sh*t what she thinks.

I do.
The families of soldiers who led themselves in Kashmir do.

Mind you Arundhati and her acts are not Kashmir specific.

She is the one who supports Maoists and their violance whole heartedly.

After Batla house encounter she was the firs to visit families of slain terrerists and declare them innocent.

I have never seen her visiting the families of slain soldiers/policemen.

GB

 

[gubbi]

Arundhati and Geelani deserves Bharat-Ratna?

Last time I heard the same UPA asking for ban on Raj and Bal Thackrey.

But now they dont want to act against these traitors is good thing?

I am dissappointed gents.

GB

There is a difference here mate. A Big difference. You see, both the Thackrey's are politicians. They have their rights to freedom of speech but there are limits to what they can and cannot say in public.

Ms Roy is just an ordinary author who happened to win the Booker prize, way back in 1997, for a small novel. After that she has nothing to show for her achievements. She wasnt getting any attention nor action. Hence she indulges in such 'attention grabbing' antics - an attention wh0re that she is!

 

[garibnawaz]

east Pakistan was lost due to same Policies which Indian Imperial raj is practiceing today in Kashmir

In that case why Operation Gibralter failed in 1965?

Why Kashmiri's turned down the armed SSG's?

GB

 

[gubbi]

east Pakistan was lost due to same Policies which Indian Imperial raj is practiceing today in Kashmir

Exactly. You nailed it, son! You havent seen the end of Indian imperial raj yet, theres more to come!