Separatists raise Pakistan flag in Srinagar, insult India, but no arrests yet

NEW DELHI: Hours after separatist leader Masarat Alam held an anti-India rally while welcoming return of separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani in Srinagar, India reacted by only registering an FIR at Budgam police station against Geelani, Alam and Bashir Ahmed Bhat alias Peer Saifullah. The FIR was lodged for "provocative activities" in Hyderpora area. But no arrests were made by the time of filing this report.

Earlier, videos showed the 47-year-old Alam, a likely successor to separatist top gun Syed Ali Shah Geelani, raise slogans in support of Hafeez Saeed and Pakistan.

READ ALSO: Separatist leaders Yasin Malik, Masarat Alam detained

The video shows Alam chanting with thousands of his supporters, "Hafeez Saeed ka yehi paigham, Kashmir banega Pakistan". Alam was released from prison after four years on March 7 this year after the formation of PDP-BJP government in Jammu and Kashmir led by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Thousands of people flocked the streets, some raising Pakistan's flags and shouting anti-India slogans.

READ ALSO: Masarat Alam raises Pak flag in Srinagar

(PTI photo)

Many from the crowds also pelted stones at the CRPF jawans.

READ ALSO: Will ensure surveillance of Masarat Alam, Rajnath Singh says

Meanwhile, taking strong exception to the waving of Pakistani flags and raising of pro-Pakistan slogans at a rally in Srinagar, BJP today asked ally PDP to take immediate action against separatist leaders like Masarat Alam, failing which it said that "consequences" would follow, PTI reported.

"This is unacceptable. We demand immediate action against Alam and the others who were involved in today's rally. There can be no leniency on this, this is clearly a major aberration and we expect PDP to take action.

"If corrective action is not taken... If PDP does not conform to expected notes (sic) of BJP and the Centre, consequences would follow," said BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao. But it is the BJP-PDP who are in the government and Rao said the ruling alliance's purpose was to take concrete steps to ensure peace and stability in the state.

"What happened today is a complete reversal of that. This is unacceptable. We clearly expect some kind of action," he said.

After a gap of five years, Jammu & Kashmir government allowed hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani to hold a public rally today on the outskirts of Srinagar where his supporters, including Alam, raised pro-Pakistan slogans while others waved Pakistani flags.

READ ALSO: Masarat Alam Bhat, 'a stone thrower since childhood'

Alam was released from jail last month with the move having triggered a controversy.

(AP photo)

Geelani, who returned to J-K after spending the winter months in Delhi, was taken to his residence from the airport in a procession led by Alam, against whom state police has registered a case under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. He is likely to be arrested, official sources said.

(With agency inputs)

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