Should Geelani be issued passport?

Should Geelani be issued passport?

Introduction:

Syed Ali Shah Geelani, separatist leader and founder of Tekreek-e-Hurriyat in Jammu and Kashmir, is in controversy again. This time it is not for misleading youth or claiming independence but for his passport clearance. Government of India has denied him international passport so that he doesn't get to travel outside India. With his history of controversies and speeches that incite violence, it doesn't come as a surprise that Indian govt would not want Geelani to spread his message of violence and separatism travelling to neighbouring countries. His stand on Kashmir has been unclear, he claims that his view is make Kashmir an independent territory but then he shows predilection towards Pakistan's claim on Kashmir. Whether he gets a passport or not is unclear but it is very much eminent that there would be a clash of opinion amid BJP and PDP. Mehbooba Mufti, president of PDP is in support of Geelani and has announced that she would ensure that he gets an international passport while BJP is strictly uninterested in paying heed to Geelani's request.

No:

1. Geelani has been popular more for his anti-national activities than for his fight for the rights of Kashmiris. He has not provided biometric details when he applied for the passport, which is an essential fragment of the process. An apology for his anti-national activities, which included criticizing Indian government Indian Army, is all that the govt is asking before issuing Geelani an international passport.

2. Geelani has from time to time shown immense hatred and displeasure at India and its democracy. His citizenship, loyalty towards the nation, and his side in the Indo-Pak conflict over Kashmir is still in doubt. Critics are not so wrong after all when their sarcasm makes them say that perhaps Geelani should ask for a passport from Pakistan. He has to accept the very fact that he is a citizen of India before he gets a passport from Indian govt.

3. Geelani waved Pakistani flag during his rally in April. That is enough of a reason for denying him passport with the logo of Government of India on it. This seems like one man who should be deported to Pakistan and never be allowed to come back.

4. Hardline Hurriyat leader, a pro-pakistani, Geelani paid tribute to slain terrorists. This man believes that it is the government that is giving birth to these terrorists by being strict and stubborn towards them. He calls the mastermind of Mumbai attack, Hafiz Syed, a humanitarian. What's more, he even called Osama Bin Laden a martyr, stood up for Afzal Guru and had even been known to have links with Pakistani ISI. Indian government can give passport only to an Indian citizen and not someone who is so much in favour of the enemies of peace and prosperity of our county.

5. Geelani staged protests against elections. He paid local youths for stone pelting. It is because of extremists like him that the Indo-Pak conflict over Kashmir is worsening instead of stabilizing. Agreed that Kashmiris are being slain between India and Pakistan but encouraging terror activities does not solve the problem, only makes it worse.

Yes:

1. This is not the first time that a separatist leaders or Geelani in particular (he was granted passport for a couple of years previously) is asking for an international passport. Some separatist leaders including Yasin Malik, Shabir Shah and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq already have passports and they have been visiting foreign countries from time to time, including Pakistan.

2. From humanitarian point of view, keeping in mind his agenda behind requesting for a passport, his age and health, government should issue Geelani a passport. He should not be stopped from going to Saudi Arabia to see his ailing daughter.

3. If Geelani follows the procedure of passport application properly, filling the column of nationality for Indian, there is no reason why his passport should be denied. Whether he apologizes or not is not going to change his extremist view on Indo-Pak dispute over Kashmir. Holding him from getting a passport is just being made a political issue or perhaps a staged show between PDP and BJP.

4. The claims of the separatists in Kashmir has always been very clear - they talk of independent governance but are bent towards Pakistan. A passport claim does not need to be made an issue for this old man who wants to see his ailing daughter while other separatists have been issued passports for visiting the most prohibited territory, Pakistan.

Conclusion:

The passport request by Geelani is just being moulded into a political show, well edited and planned. Whether or not he gets an international passport will depend entirely on his credits and his fulfilling the formalities required. If he gets through the procedure of visiting the passport office to complete the formalities, his application will be sent to the Ministries of Home and External Affairs for their comments as he falls in prior security clearance category for issuing a passport.The Ministries, then, in consultation with the Jammu and Kashmir government, would take a final decision on granting the passport to him.