Inspiring life of a great Kashmiri freedom fighter

Syed Ali Gillani (29 September 1929 – 1 September 2021) was an iconic Kashmiri leader and freedom fighter and courageously led his people against the illegal Indian occupation of Jammu and Kashmir. He is regarded as the father of the Kashmiri indigenous freedom movement.

Syed Ali Gillani’s long and precarious journey for the legitimate cause of Kashmiris started well before his formal political career which started from the platform of Jamaat-e-Islami (Jel) in 1952. He soon rose to become district chief of Kupwara and Baramulla districts. Gillani initially struggled for his cause through mainstream politics but later on realized that government of India had never been sincere in resolution of the Kashmir issue. During his struggle, Gillani spent more than twelve years of his life in Indian jails — he was first arrested in 1962 on the charges of “raising the Kashmir issue”.

He staunchly opposed the enactment of Indian draconian laws like Public Safety Act (PSA) and openly challenged then Chief Minister Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah when he introduced the stringent Public Safety Act in the region.

He played an active role in formulation of Muslim United Front (MUF) in 1987 ahead of provincial elections. All Muslim parties came under a single platform – MUF – against the parties supported by India, including National Conference (NC). Only four candidates of the platform, including Gillani, however, managed to secure seats due to alleged rigging. Gillani, along with three other winners, were jailed by the Indian government. This was the watershed moment, which marked the beginning of an indigenous armed resistance against “Indian unlawful occupation of IIOJK”.

After the heavily rigged elections, the National Conference-Indian National Congress political alliance formed a government in Jammu and Kashmir, which was dissolved in early 1990s as the armed rebellion broke out. Lawyers and activists were jailed, and political activity banned. Gillani and comrades resigned in protest. In 1992, foundation of All Parties Hurriyat (Freedom) Conference (APHC) was laid. It was a platform of at least 30 pro-freedom parties to take forward Kashmir’s fight for its right to self-determination. The Jel was represented by Gillani.

“Gillani’s uncompromising stand boosted his popularity graph among the youth,” a senior Kashmir-based journalist told Anadolu Agency. “He (Gillani) would shoulder coffins of slain freedom fighters, and would in his public speeches eulogise the resistance movement.”

In August 2004, Gillani along with Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, launched Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (Movement of Freedom). Gillani emerged a prominent face when Kashmiris held mass civil uprisings post 2008. In 2009 he launched “demilitarisation movement” and in 2010, when three civilians were killed in a fake encounter along the LoC in Machil area of Kupwara district by Indian forces, a mass uprising was triggered. Gillani was at the forefront.

In 2016, after the killing of popular young freedom fighter Burhan Wani at the hands of Indian security forces, Gillani, along with Mirwaiz Umar Farooq (currently under house arrest in Indian Occupied Kashmir) and Muhammad Yasin Malik (currently in Indian jails serving life imprisonment and facing death sentence) organised protests against the brutal actions of Indian occupation forces.

After the Indian government revoked Articles 370 and 35A of its Constitution, scrapping the country’s only Muslim-majority state with its nominal autonomy, Gillani remained consistent with the struggle prior to revocation of special status. Syed Ali Gillani remained house arrested after 5 Aug 2019 till his death.

 

Indian Government’s Shameless Denial of Proper Burial to Syed Ali Gillani

Fearful of Gillani’s stature, the Indian government denied proper burial of the great Kashmiri leader and was internationally condemned for this brutal and inhuman act. This was yet another shameless act of India and a failed tactic to demoralise and muzzle the popular freedom struggle against India’s illegal occupation. Using brute force and in grave violation of HRs to stop massive attendance of his burial, the family of iconic Kashmiri leader was denied performing the last rites and Syed Ali Gillani was laid to rest in a strict military siege at Haiderpora in Srinagar. As the family was preparing for the last rites of Syed Ali Gillani, a heavy contingent of the Indian occupation forces raided his residence in Srinagar, harassed the family members, and took away Syed Ali Gillani’s body. A curfew was imposed in the valley and all internet services suspended. The veteran leader breathed his last breath in custody and buried under strict lockdown.

The serious HRAs by Indian government in case of performing of last rites and burial of 92 years old veteran Kashmiri leader was condemned by OlC and covered by important international news agencies and papers like Reuters, Washington Post and France 24.

Gillani has authored at least 30 books including his autobiography ‘Wular Kinaray’ (on the banks of Wular lake). It is a compendium of Kashmir’s struggle against India’s unlawful occupation and inhuman atrocities in Jammu and Kashmir.

Regardless of the Indian atrocities, Syed Ali Gillani lives in the hearts of the people of Kashmir and continues to inspire the people of Jammu and Kashmir who are struggling to get their freedom from the Indian occupation.