Hard-line faction of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) led by Syed Ali Geelani has announced that Hurriyat would organize a “million march” in Srinagar on November 7, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a public rally here.
“Over a million people will participate in the march and it will be a clear referendum that the people of Kashmir are with the freedom movement or they have changed with the time,” Hurriyat Conference spokesman, Ayaz Akbar, said.
Geelani, Akbar said, will invite all separatist leaders to participate in the march. He said separatist leaders will address people and will reaffirm their resolve to carry forward the freedom struggle.
Hurriyat Conference will formally inform the state administration and will send a letter to the Deputy Commissioner Srinagar for taking out the march.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Srinagar on November 7. Modi, according to government sources, will first inaugurate phase-2 of the Baghlihar hydro-electric power project in the Jammu region and then visit Srinagar to address a rally. This will be Prime Minister Modi’s first visit to the Valley after the present PDP-BJP alliance formed the government in the state on March 1, 2015.
The Jammu and Kashmir government is expecting an announcement of Rs 70,000 crore financial package from the Prime Minister. The assistance if given will be used over the next five years for developmental projects of the state and for the flood affected people of 2014.
Akbar said the Hurriyat Conference will ensure that the proposed million march will be peaceful and disciplined and it will not create any law and order problems.
“The million march of Hurriyat conference will in no way affect the public rally of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people, who will be desirous to participate in his rally, will not be stopped or hindered,” Akbar said.
“Both the public rallies will decide how many people are with India and how many are in support of the freedom struggle. The Hurriyat Conference wants to give a peaceful message through this march to the world as well as the Indian prime minister that the freedom struggle of Kashmiris is not any terrorism or any communal movement but the people of Kashmir are running a just and genuine struggle for their birth and basic rights,” Akbar said.
“Modi should understand that Kashmiris are not warmongers but they are a peace loving nation, they only want that the rulers of India should fulfill all those promises which they have made with them at the national and international level,” the Hurriyat said. He also said that preparation of million march has been started and all the Hurriyat constituents will be asked to join in.