Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed on Saturday promised action against those responsible for waving Pakistani flags at the rally addressed by Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Shah Geelani. “Some people were involved in such activities. Action will be taken against those involved in such an act,” Sayeed told journalists in Ahmedabad. Sayeed is in Gujarat to promote J&K tourism.
The J&K CM also rejected Geelani’s demand to curtail the duration of the Amarnath Yatra to 30 days from the planned 59 days, asserting the pilgrimage will take place as per the schedule. He recalled how separatist leader Masarat Alam Bhat, who had raised pro-Pakistan slogans and waved Pakistani flags at a rally attended by Geelani, was put behind bars. “When Masarat was released, he had already spent five years under PSA (Public Safety Act). Then, I saw him with Pakistani flag. We then took immediate action against him, who was again arrested,” Sayeed said, adding, “law will take its course”.
PDP’s coalition partner BJP, however, demanded Geelani’s arrest under the PSA. “Geelani too need to be arrested immediately under PSA as was done last month against Masarat Alam,” BJP State chief spokesperson Sunil Sethi told reporters in Jammu. VHP and Bajrang Dal held a demonstration to demand the same.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh condemned the Pakistani flags-waving incident and said he was confident that the Sayeed Government will take steps to stop recurrence of such incidents. “It (waving of Pak flags) is condemnable. The Government has reiterated there is no place for Pakistani flags being hoisted in India, but at the same time, I would add that the Government in the State is capable of handling any situation like this and we expect that they would rise to the occasion,” he said.