Hurriyat leader Geelani slams India's bid for UNSC seat

Srinagar, Jan 6 (ANI): Slamming India's bid for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council, Kashmir separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani said the country has illegitimately occupied the restive Valley region through military power.

Addressing mediapersons here on Wednesday, Geelani said: "India's demand has always been that it should be granted permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council. However, it has always refrained from following the resolutions adopted by the United Nations to resolve the long-standing problem of Kashmir. India has dumped those resolutions in a pile of garbage and has illegitimately occupied the Kashmir region by the use of military power."

"Indian forces have targeted our community and have committed heinous atrocities. Such a nation has no right to demand a seat in the Security Council," he added.

He urged the international community to play a positive role for right to self determination of Kashmiris.

Geelani also lashed out at the National Conference saying the party had subjected people to terror and oppression during its tenures right from 1947.

He further alleged that government had perpetrated the worst kind of state terrorism by killing hundreds of people and injuring thousands.

He said in 1987 Kashmiri youth were forced to pick up arms .

"Again this year, the killing and oppression was meant to push Kashmiris to pick up the gun again. However, let it be clear to India that they cannot provoke us through brute atrocities. We will continue our peaceful struggle and won't even resort to provocative sloganeering," he added. (ANI)