By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net
Srinagar : Hurriyat veteran and senior separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Thursday called for a counter rally in the Tourist Reception Center (TRC) ground in Srinagar on the same day when Prime Minister, Narendra Modi is supposed to address a rally in the city.
Terming the latest move intended to show the world that “Kashmiri’s are against the Indian occupation”, Geelani has invited all separatist leaders, including Yasin Malik and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, to participate in the rally.
“Geelani sahib will invite all the pro-freedom leadership to participate in the rally at TRC to show the world that Kashmiri’s are against the Indian occupation besides Hurriyat will ask for permission for the rally and will take all responsibilities of law and order in the city,” Hurriyat (G) spokesperson Ayaz Akbar said in a statement.
Importantly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit J&K state on November 7 to inaugurate phase-2 of the Baghlihar hydro-electric power project in the Jammu region. Later he will address a public rally in Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium, Srinagar on the same day in the afternoon.
Akbar said the Hurriyat will seek proper permission from the authorities and will take all responsibility of smooth traffic flow and law and order of Srinagar. “We assure the administration that those who want to attend Modi’s rally will not be stopped in any way,” Akbar said.
He said that Hurriyat Conference is expecting a large gathering in Srinagar to hear Geelani and other pro-freedom leaders so it has been given the name “Srinagar Million March”.
This will be PM Modi’s first visit to the Kashmir Valley after the present PDP-BJP alliance took power in the state on March 1, 2015.
The much-hyped ‘Special developmental Package’ for the state is also supposed to be announced by the PM.