Jammu & Kashmir Assembly to remember separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly to remember separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani
Separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani is in the list of former Legislators and Parliamentarians who will be remembered by the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Tuesday.
The Speaker of the Assembly will make obituary references over the demise of former Legislators who have died since the last session of the Legislature which took place in February 2018.
Others who will feature in the obituary references on Tuesday include former President Pranab Mukherjee, former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee, former Governor Jagmohan Malhotra, and BJP MLA Devender Singh Rana who died recently.
Geelani was a member of the Legislative Assembly three times from the Sopore segment, having won in 1972, 1977 and 1987.
As a prominent separatist leader in Jammu and Kashmir, Geelani was a defining figure in the region’s politics for decades. He is known for his staunch pro-Pakistan stance and unwavering advocacy for Kashmir’s right to self-determination. Born in 1929 in the Sopore district, Geelani began his political journey with the Jamaat-e-Islami and later became a central figure in the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), which he helped form in 1993 as an umbrella coalition of separatist groups.
Geelani’s political career in the J&K Legislative Assembly was marked by his election from Sopore in 1972, 1977, and 1987. However, his stance evolved over time as he grew increasingly disillusioned with electoral politics, especially after the alleged rigging in the 1987 elections, which is often cited as a trigger for the armed insurgency that began soon after.
Despite being confined under house arrest for much of his later years, Geelani remained influential, issuing statements and directives that shaped separatist sentiments and actions across the region. His steadfastness in calling for a merger with Pakistan and opposition to dialogue with India set him apart, earning him both support and criticism. Geelani was awarded Pakistan’s highest civilian honour, the Nishan-e-Pakistan in 2020 in recognition of his lifelong commitment to the Kashmir cause.
He passed away on September 1, 2021, after a prolonged illness, at the age of 91. His death marked the end of an era in Kashmiri separatist politics, and his legacy continues to resonate, making him a significant figure in the obituary references of the J&K Legislative Assembly.