Syed Ali Shah Geelani: The Epitome of Resistance
Today, September 1st, marks the first martyrdom anniversary of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the man who spearheaded the Kashmir freedom movement.
This emblem of strength was born on September 29th, 1929 in the Baramulla District of Kashmir. He stepped into the political arena by joining Jamaat e Islami in 1952. He rose to the great heights of popularity because of his unflinching commitment against the illegal Indian occupation in Kashmir and earned the position of district chief of Kupwara and Baramulla districts.
He was also elected as the member of Occupied Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in 1972, 1977 and 1987 which gave him an opportunity to repeatedly bring forward the Kashmir issue. Before provincial assembly elections, Muslim United Front (MUF) was formed in 1987 against the pro-Indian political parties.
However, owing to severe rigging in elections, only four candidates including Syed Ali Shah Geelani managed to win seats and he was put behind bars afterwards by the New Delhi government. This was the turning point for the Kashmiri freedom movement as an indigenous armed struggle against Indian illegal occupation started.
In 1992, he laid the foundation of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) to raise the issue of Kashmir. This platform consisted of thirty parties supporting the liberation of Indian Ilegal occupied Jammu & Kashmir. In August 2004, he formed his own political party, “Tehreek e Hurriyat.” In 2009, he launched the “demilitarization movement.” In 2010, the barbaric fake encounter of three civilians in the area of Kupwara at the hands of the Indian Army triggered the public unrest. In 2016, when Indian security forces martyred the young hurriyat activist, Burhan Waani, Syed Ali Geelani along with Mir Waiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yaseen started protests against Indian barbarism. After the Modi led fascist regime revoked Article 370 and 35- A, he was detained till his demise in his house.
