Geelani condemns violence after Twenty20 cup win by India

Srinagar, Sep 26 (UNI) Syed Ali Shah Geelani, chairman of the breakaway Hurriyat Conference (HC), has condemned the violence after India's win over Pakistan in the Twenty20 Cricket World Cup.

Talking to reporters here, he alleged that RSS, Bajrang Dal, Shiv Sena, BJP and other communal forces were responsible for the violence in Jammu region after the match.

He said after the win by India, the supporters of these parties took to streets and set-off crackers near mosques, trying to provoke Muslims who were offering prayers.

''We are not against the victory procession or celebrating the win as everyone has right to express their joy the way they like,'' he said, adding that ''the way they raised provocative slogans and burst cracker was amid to disturb the prayers.'' He said Hundreds of people belonging to fundamentalist parties, who were responsible for Babri Masjid demolition and Gujarat riots, raised provocative slogans and burst crackers just near the gate of Jamia Masjid, Rajouri.

''However, when the muslims objected to it and urged them to celebrate at a distance as their prayer was getting disturbed, they (those celebrating the win) entered the mosque and beat up the devotees,'' he alleged.

Later, curfew was imposed in the entire area to control the situation, he said.

Mr Geelani said ''because Muslims follow the teachings of Islam, there was no communal incident where Muslims are in majority.'' He said opening of Siachen Glacier to tourists and holding joint exercise with British troops was a deep rooted conspiracy against the people of the Jammu and Kashmir.

UNI