Last rites of Geelani should have been allowed as per wishes: Mehbooba

Says issue of filing FIR against his family ‘too little’ in democratic India

SRINAGAR: Former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti Monday said that treatment meted to the body of veteran separatist leader, Syed Ali Geelani was uncalled for, and said that one can fight with living person, but the dead body must not get indifferent treatment.

Talking to the media persons, Mehbooba said that the videos and news reports have shown that the people of Jammu and Kashmir were quite disappointed.

She said that “you can fight with a person when he is alive, but once dead, you need to respect the body like others.”

Replying to a query about the cases filed against Geelani’s family for raising slogans and covering his body with Pakistani flag, she said that India is a biggest democratic country and these issues are not too little. “The government should have allowed the family to perform the last rites of Geelani as per the wishes,” she said.

Mehbooba added that she too had differences with Geelani, but the dead body must not get indifferent treatment, saying that “what we have seen was against humanity. Everybody’s last wishes are to be respected. The incident witnessed was against the cultural identity of India.”

She also added that nobody can force anyone to love or hate any leader on the barrel of a gun—(KNO)