Modi sent emissaries, says Geelani; BJP denies claims

Hardline Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani has set off a major controversy by saying that two men claiming to be emissaries of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi had met him on March 22 on the Kashmir issue.

Talking to newspersons in Srinagar on Friday, Geelani said the two men were Kashmiri pandits, though he did not name them.

He said that he talked to them because they were Kashmiri pandits. They told him that Modi, the chief minister of Gujarat, was certain to be the next prime minister of India after the counting of votes in the ongoing Lok Sabha electionsa on May 16.

Geelani said the two men told him that he could talk to Modi to get some commitment from him on a solution to the Kashmir issue.

Geelani said he had rejected the offer of talks with Modi. “I told them that Modi is a member of the Rashtriya Swayamwevak Sangh (RSS) and the torchbearer of its ideology. He is also a leader of the BJP and under no circumstances will he adopt a policy on Kashmir based on the ground realities in the state” he said.

Geelani also said that Modi’s representatives had also met leaders of other separatist groups in Jammu and Kashmir as well.

“Those who have said Modi’s policy after he becomes PM regarding Kashmir would be soft and those who have expectations from him have actually met Modi’s men in Kashmir,” he said.

The BJP categorically rejected Geelani’s claims, saying that they were “mischievous, without basis and aimed at creating confusion among people.”

“Geelani’s statements are nothing but a bunch of lies with malicious intent,” a statement by the party said.

The statement said no emissary from the party had either tried to meet or met Geelani to discuss the Kashmir issue.

“On the Kashmir issue, the BJP’s stand is very clear — that Kashmir is an integral part of India and there cannot be any room for deliberations on this. The BJP has also time and again condemned the negative role played by leaders such as Geelani, whose politics is a threat to the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

“If Geelani has made these claims, the onus lies on him to present the complete picture and name who were these individuals who met him on behalf of Modi. If he fails to do so, which we are sure he will, he should apologise to the people of India.

“The BJP also condemns the manner in which elected representatives and those who hold important offices, most notably from Kashmir, are encouraging such lies only to serve their political interests as they fear a crushing defeat in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections,” the statement added.

In its manifesto for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, released here on April 7, the BJP had reiterated its stand on article 370 of the constitution of India, which grants special autonomous status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

It said it would discuss it with all stakeholders and remained committed to the abrogation of the article.

Asserting that Jammu and Kashmir is and shall remain an integral part of India, it promised to pursue an equal and rapid development in all the three regions of the state. It said the return of Kashmiri pandits to Kashmir with full dignity, security and assured livelihood would figure high on its agenda.

“So S.A.S. Geelani has claimed that NaMo sent emissaries to talk to him and other separatist leaders in Delhi, in S.A.S.G’s case twice,” Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on micro-blogging site Twitter.

“Given BJP’s position on Art370 and AFSPA can we know who these NaMo emissaries where and what was on offer? Why the secrecy?” he asked.

On the BJP’s denial, Abdullah, of the National Conference party, said, “So who is lying S.A.S. Geelani or the NaMo campaign? Easy way to find out — let S.A.S.G identify the emissaries who met him on behalf of NaMo.”

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