Syed Ali Shah Geelani

Last updated: 2021/09/07 at 7:08 AM

Taha Yaseen

9 Min Read

SYED ALI SHAH GEELANI

History.

* Syed Ali Shah Geelani (29 September 1929 – 1 September 2021) was a separatist leader in Jammu and Kashmir. * Started as a teacher but probably led to maximum disruption of education in Kashmir. * He was previously a member of Jamaat-e-Islami Kashmir but thrown out and later on founded Tehreek-e-Hurriyat. He served as the chairman of All Parties Hurriyat Conference, a conglomerate of pro separatist parties in Jammu and Kashmir. * He was an MLA from the Sopore constituency of Jammu and Kashmir in 1972, 1977 and in 1987. The then turned views on elections and became a confirmed Pakistani supporter. * He somehow managed to remain in good books of Indian state which ensured his security and provided platforms to air his views.

* He was among the principal instigators and men in control who ensured demographic change by forcing migration of Kashmiri Pandits. He never acknowledged his mistake. He further played the demographic change card in 2008 in Amarnath Board land issue by doing propaganda about efforts for demographic change by allotment of land for transient facilities. He was consistent in his communal views.

* His influence and opposition to any talk of peace led to dissolution and then division of Hurriyat into two factions. He became chairman of Hurriyat(G) faction for life.

* In 1995, he is said to have masterminded a deal with NC. He ensured only NC candidates would win by ensuring only those permitted to vote by terrorists would vote as per his directions. The NC government returned favours once in power.

* He was chairman of Geelani faction till he quit the Hurriyat in June 2020. The resignation signified realisation on part of Geelani that how empty and corrupt the so-called movement for liberation of Kashmir was and how Pakistan had used him to further its agenda.

* Among all separatists’ leaders he was steadfast in belief of merger with Pakistan. This ensured his survival and side-lining or death of his competitors which inclMirwaiz Farooq, Ab Ghani Lone and even journalist Shujaat Bukhari.

* As per reports, in 90s his word was the law and Sharia courts rendered serious punishments including death in period 90-95.

* In 2014 he made a statement against ‘stone pelting’, as per reports this was to prevent the police from arresting his SIL for money laundering for which evidence had been collected.

* He commended role of Osama Bin Laden on his death and lead prayers in absentia in Srinagar.

Personal Life.

* He had two wives.

* Geelani has 2 sons, Nayeem Geelani& Naseem Geelani. Nayeem and his wife are both doctors who used to live and practice medicine. Geelani’s younger son, Naseem works at an agricultural university in Srinagar.

* Geelanihas four daughters; Anisha, Farhat Jabeen, Zamshida. Anisha and Farhat are Geelani’s daughters from his second marriage. Geelani’s daughter Farhat is a madani teacher in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

* Geelani’s grandson Izhaar is a crew member in a private airline in India. Geelani’s other grandchildren are studying in leading schools of India. His cousin Ghulam Nabi Fai is presently in London.

* Naseem Geelani, son of SAS Geelani, owns at Rawalpora, Srinagar& land /orchard at Doru, Sopore. The NIA says that Naseem Geelani on March 2017 took over the charge of Unique Public School, Sopore as its Chairman, after a long tussle with G M Bhat (Former Chairman).

* Nayeem Geelani jointly owns four canals of agriculture land at Humana, RawalporaByepass, Srinagar with his brother Naseem Geelani.He also owns land/Orchard on 40 kanals and Dooru, Sopore. Nayeem is also owner of an eight-room house at Sanat Nagar, Srinagar. He also owns a flat in New Delhi’s Vasant Kunj area. He also owns single story house having 10/12 rooms which is worth Rs 75 lakh.He also owns apple Orchard and two houses built on 5.5 Kanals. The market value of per canal is Rs. 5 lakhs.

* Geelani’s ancestral bungalow at Dooru, Sopore, in Jammu and Kashmir is worth Rs 1 crore. It is a two story house on 2 kanals of land.His office cum residence is built on 1.5 kanals land at Rehmatabad colony, which is registered in the name of Milli Trust with five members. Bashir Ahmed Shot, Peer Saifullah, Mohd Ashraf, Sehraj, Altaf Ahmed Shah, Jawahira Begum and Dr.NayeedGeelani. Geelani’s two story house at Bulbulbagh, Baramulla has been transferred to Jel, Jammu and Kashmir. There is one Unique Public School in Dooru, Srinagar, whose land is partially donated by villagers and partly out of Geelani’s property. The school is run by trust, and Geelani has appointed his younger son Naseem Geelani chairman of the school. Geelani also owns a two-bedroom flat at Gupta Colony, Khirki Extension, Delhi for which Geelani paid Rs 8 Lakh and it has been registered in the name of GM Bhat (hawala conduit). Geelani also owns one two story house at Bagh-e-Mehtab, Srinagar and has been registered in the name of Geelani’s eldest daughter Chasfida. Geelani’s another three storied bunglow built on half canal land at Bemina, Srinagar has been registered in the name of his daughter Zahida. The octogenarian separatist also owns around 100-150 kanals of land at Pattan. Geelani has a double story house at Rehmatabadon his name.

* At peak of disturbance in 2017 and bandhs. SAS Geelani’sgrandson was appointed at a government job SKICC, indicating his clout within the state administration and politics.

Successor.

* There is an on-going tussle on who will be the successor of Geelani. Pre-recorded audio/videos declaring his last will & testament have come up on SM space.

* Names of MasratAlam (presently in Indian Jail), Abdullah Geelani (Muzzafarabad), GowharGeelani& Altaf Shah (Son-in-law) have come up.

* During his lifetime Geelani did not allow anyone to grow big enough to be a contender. Even men like Sehrai were only tolerated.

Pakistan &Geelani.

* Pakistan PM Imran Khan has declared to observe a day of official mourning over death of Geelani.He also added that the Pakistan flag will fly at half-mast for the day.

* The government of Pakistan had conferred its highest civilian award, Nishan-e-Pakistan on separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

* However, AS Geelani had been most upset about his weakening grip over the Hurriyat conference chapter in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir & refused to take the Award. He was upset at Pakistan propping up alternate leaders in PoK. The award was given in absentia to Pak chosen reps.

* In 2019 he had issues a letter castigating Pakistan for encouraging and using drug trade in Kashmir.

Sedition Charges.

* On 29 November 2010, Geelani, along with writer Arundhati Roy, activist Varavara Rao and three others were charged under “sections 124A (sedition), 153A (promoting enmity between classes), 153B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration), 504 (insult intended to provoke breach of peace) and 505 (false statement, rumour circulated with intent to cause mutiny or offence against public peace…) to be read with Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act of 1967”.

* By 2010 hurriyathad started paying Rs 500 per day to stone-pelters.

* He had been responsible for killings of many whom he found threat to his existence. Also, he had been responsible for brain-washing the youth to pick up weapons when his own children are leading a lavish life.

* He had been responsible for death of one lakh of men, women & children in J&K over the past 35 yrs.