British Kashmiris up in arms against India’s barbaric actions on deceased Geelani

BIRMINGHAM, UK: Hundreds of British Kashmiris held protest demonstrations against Indian occupation regime for forcibly taking in custody the body of deceased Kashmiri resistance icon Syed Ali Geelani and barring his family and his people from participating in his funeral prayers.

Geelani, 91, left for heavenly abode on Sept. 1 at 10PM, Kashmir Time, 1630GMT.

He was leading right to self-determination movement in Indian illegally Occupation Jammu and Kashmir (IIoJK). He was member of Jama’at-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir and founded Tehreek-e-Hurriyat in 2004 and also led All Parties Hurriyat Conference – an amalgam of pro-freedom parties in IIoJK.

Responding to an emergency call by Tehreek-e-Kashmir UK, hundreds of British Kashmiris came together in different cities of the UK on Friday and demand India be held accountable for inhuman, war crimes actions in IIoJK.

In Birmingham city, demonstrations were held outside the Indian consulate where protestors condemned Indian authorities and their actions in IIoJK.

The protestors expressed grief over demise of Geelani was under house arrest out by Indian authorities when he left this world to meet his Lord.

“It is a custodial death under responsibility of which lies on India,” the protestors said. “He is a martyr.”

Absentee funeral prayers in honor of Syed Ali Geelani were offered in Luton, Birmingham, Walsall, Leeds, Nelson, Nottingham, Glasgow, Barcelona, Zurich, Oslo and various cities of the UK and Europe.

Protesters outside the Indian consulate Birmingham raised anti-India slogans against its inhuman treatment meted out to body of deceased Geelani.

Indian forces raided the house of Geelani in the dead of night on Sept. 1 and 2 and forcibly took away body of Geelani. The family members were told to bury Geelani silently which they resisted as they wanted to bury Geelani according to his wish.

Geelani had willed to be buried in Martyrs Graveyard in Srinagar – Kashmir’s largest cemetery.

But Indian authorities disallowed it and buried him forcibly in a local graveyard in Hyderpora area in Srinagar where Geelani loved for past three decades.

Protesters carried pictures of Geelani pictures with slogans: “We are all Geelani and We will continue the mission of Geelani.”

Fahim Kayani, president of Tehreek-e-Kashmir UK, said that Geelani is the face of Kashmiri resistance movement against Indian rule “who challenged India’s hegemonic rule over Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir for decades.”

“Geelani has been fighting India since the early 1960s and he was imprisoned for almost 20 years since then,” he said, adding, India restricted him to his home for more than a decade since 2010.

Muhammad Ghalib, President Tehreek-e-Kashmir Europe, condemned India’s act of barbarism of snatching Geelani’s body and forcibly burying him.

Ian Scott, President Birmingham Trade Council, said that the Birmingham Trade Council passed a resolution and condemned the inhuman act of not allowing Geelani’s funeral according to his wish.

Khawajah Muhammad Suleman, Mushtaq Hussain, Khawajah Inam ul Haq, Qamar Abbas, Liaqat Lone, Yousaf Farooq, Azam Farooq, Sardar Aftab Advocate and other Kashmiri leaders said in their statement that India systematically murdered “Father of the Nation”, Syed Ali Geelani by putting him under strict house arrest for more than a decade which caused several health issues to him.

Protest demonstrations led by Haji Muhammad Yasin was held in Nelson. Protest demonstrations led by Ch Sajid Sharif was held in Dewsbury.

Absentee funeral prayer in Luton was led by Mulana Iqbal Awan, Absentee funeral prayer in Walsall was led by Maulana Khalid, Absentee funeral prayer in Bradford was led by hafiz muhammad azad, Absentee funeral prayer in Leeds was led by Dr Imtiaz and special prayers session for Geelani Sahab were held in various cities of the United Kingdom as well.