Open the door, India:‘Free’ Geelani’s door-knocking video goes viral

Nisar Dharma

Srinagar, Apr 04: Days after he was pronounced “free” by the government, Hurriyat (G) Chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, was on Wednesday seen knocking at his main gate that the police has locked to restrict his movement.
Geelani, along with other separatist leaders, was scheduled to visit Shopian where 13 militants and four civilians were killed on Sunday.
A video showing the octogenarian leader asking the policemen outside his uptown residence went viral on social media.
“Darwaza kholo, hamein batao kyun band kiya hai (Open the door, why have you shut it)?” he could be seen shouting through the peephole in the metallic gate.
Knocking continuously, Geelani, the video shows, quipped on Director General of Police S P Vaid’s recent statement wherein he stated that all pro-freedom leaders were “free to go anywhere”.
“You had said that I am free, and can go anywhere I please. At least open the door, I am not going to fly away,” he tells the forces.
“Open the door, India. A funeral of your democracy is being carried out in Kashmir.”
“India is high on power. There unbridled use of force in Kashmir has left 18 people dead. Even now, many are grievously injured and admitted to various hospitals. And now the authorities are not letting us mourn these losses,” he said.
Geelani reiterated how his “freedom” lasted only one day, when he was allowed to offer Friday prayers after eight years last week.
“I want to reaffirm that our struggle will continue no matter what,” he said.