The Indian Republic was aghast, extremely angry and frustrated last weekend with TV networks streaming visuals as to how right in the heart of the Capital city a Seminar was allowed to be held by the Indian Government knowing the list of secessionist participants headed by Ali Shah Geelani, the Kashmiri Muslim secessionist leader would preach sedition and treason against the Indian Republic. Geelani’s Anti-India hate speeches may be music in the confines of Srinagar in Kashmir Valley, but in New Delhi it could have spawned a law and order problem, much beyond the violent protests when Geelani arrived at the Auditorium.

The theme of the Seminar “Azadi: The Only Way” by itself was provocative. That the Government did not pre-empt the holding of a seditious Seminar in New Delhi knowing its spin-off and till now has not arrested Ali Shah Geelani and Arundhati Roy who surpassed everyone else in seditious uttering, shows the Government in poor taste. No wonder the Editor-in-Chief of The Pioneer was constrained to title his ‘Cutting Edge’ Editorial as “Serenading the Secessionists”. No Republic however democratic can over-extend freedom of expression to preach sedition in such a serenading fashion.

Not seen in the Indian media but reported on the ‘Tehreek-e-Hurriyet’ web- site was a news item that the Pakistan High Commissioner and other diplomats from the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi met Ali Shah Geelani at his New Delhi residence. Where is the Indian Republic headed to when it allows access to the top diplomat of the adversarial country Pakistan and which sponsors secession in the Kashmir Valley to meet confirmed Anti-India secessionists like Ali Shah Geelani? Who is New Delhi appeasing?

What is worrying and shocking to Indian citizens is that throughout the six hour seditious proceedings interrupted by protests from the audience, the Delhi Police and the CRPF later called in, as per media reports at the behest of the Moderator, another Geelani, who was an accused in the Parliament House bombing case, (later acquitted), the police forces acted roughly against the protestors in the audience waving patriotically the India Tricolor and shouting ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ but made no action to remove the motley crowd of seditious speakers from the stage—the root cause of the uproar. Why did the higher authorities in the Government in New Delhi not pass orders to stop the Seminar? This when TV visuals had started showing visuals of the angry protests against the speeches? It was an ugly sight to witness patriotic citizens of the Indian Republic being pushed out by the police and the secessionists being protected by the security apparatus of the Indian State against whom Geelani and company and Arundhati Roy and her associates, keep ranting against in the Kashmir Valley?

Geelani’s ranting against the Indian Republic are well known and he needs to be check-mated, but what is shocking is that an Indian claiming to be an intellectual should have gone overboard to establish her credentials with the Kashmir Valley secessionists. Please note a sampling of her diatribes at this Seminar:

• “Kashmir should get Azadi (independence) from “Bhookhe Nange Hindustan’(Hungry Naked Hindustan)
  
• “Indian Government is a hollow superpower and I disassociate from it”
  
• “Bows and arrows in the hands of Adivasi hands and stones in the hands of Kashmir youngsters are essential but we need more”

In the past too Arundhati Roy has preached against India’s stands on Kashmir, alleged suppression and Army presence. The retort that Arundhati Roy requires from all right-thinking Indians is, pray may we know as to why are you staying on in India? As a first step Ms Roy renounce your Indian citizenship and seek political asylum in Pakistan.

As far as Geelani Sahib is concerned, he too should also migrate to Pakistan and carry on his movement against India from there. I am sure Pakistan would welcome it. What is stopping him? Why should the Indian Republic use Indian tax-payers money to cater for his security and medical expenses?

Lastly, the Indian media and blogs in the wake of this incident abound with angry criticisms against India’s pseudo-intellectuals and their NGOs, Editors-in Chiefs of publications and Page 3 celebrities who give time and space to the likes of Arundhati Roy.

If this incident was not enough, news are streaming in at the time of writing this Column that another similar Seminar is now being held in Srinagar in the Kashmir Valley in the coming week with virtually the same secessionist stars including Arundhati Roy. Where is the money coming from?

Has our Government in New Delhi become so oblivious to India’s ‘National Respect’ and India’s ‘National Honor’ that such treacherous activities can continue ‘ad nauseum’?