Lashing out at the separatist leaders over their alleged involvement in receiving terror funds, Member of Parliament (MP) and senior PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Baig Saturday asked New Delhi to tighten its grip to curb the elements involved in disturbing the peace in the Valley.

Baig also commended Syed Ali Geelani for voicing against the attack on Amaranth Yatris that left eight pilgrims dead and several others injured.

Speaking at the 18th Foundation Day celebration of PDP at Sher-e-Kashmir cricket stadium, Baig said National Investigation Agency (NIA) must deal with those strictly who are involved in receiving funds and have burned down the schools and disturbed peace in the Valley.

“It was appalling to see the separatist leaders confessing that they received funds and torched schools,” he said.

Baig was referring to the sting operation done by a private TV channel on the Hurriyat leaders.

He said that those who are involved in these crimes must be brought to book while those who are innocents and are not involved in any such case should not be persecuted.

“I believe the central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi would take action only against those who are involved in receiving funds,” he said.

PDP senior leader praised Syed Ali Geelani for condemning the attack on Amarnath yatris and said that “I know Geelani is against terrorism and has never supported the killing of innocents irrespective of his religion.”

He said that the incident could have resulted in chaos to the Muslim community living in other parts of the country but Geelani’s statement and the state government’s way of handling the situation saved several Muslim lives. “The Muslims in other states of the country could have been killed in case PDP-BJP would not have taken precautionary measures,” he said.

“I know Geelani Sahab from my college days. He is not greedy at all and doesn’t support terrorism. Geelani Sahab was always saying that terrorism shouldn’t erupt in Kashmir,” Baig said, adding that “he (Geelani) must be thinking that terrorism is not solution of Kashmir.”

Saying that due to the negligence of central government and our leaders in the year 1947, China has today occupied a part of Kashmir.

 “China has committed various atrocities on Muslims so far and Geelani Sahab must think over it and should utter something over it,” he said.

Baig further said that the situation in South Kashmir, being considered as the bastion of PDP has suffered a lot from past over one year.

“Our workers in South Kashmir were either killed or abused but they continued to support the progressive party. I believe people in South Kashmir have suffered tremendous loss. I assure them that the peace will return soon to South Kashmir,” he said.

Saying that the developmental works in the state got affected due to the deteriorating situation in Kashmir, Baig said that the central government had sanctioned Rs 19000 crore to Jammu and Kashmir but the amount wasn’t utilized due to the unfavorable situation here.

Baig said that he left his profession only to see changes in Kashmir. “My dream is to see changes on the ground in Kashmir for which I left my profession. I was getting Rs 50,000 as fees for one case but I left that profession only to make my dream true,” he said.

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