In a statement issued to KNS Engineer Rasheed said, “The way some ultra nationalist TV channels are trying to prove that Hurriyat leaders are provoking youth to violence and processions by giving calendars, but their own kids and relatives are either studying abroad, or are serving govt. jobs is totally unacceptable and speaks of mental bankruptcy on behalf of these channels.”
He said that everyone has a right to agree or disagree with the politics of Hurriyat leaders but we need not to forget that their family members have a right to live with honor, dignity and get best possible education. “If kiths and kins of Geelani, Sallahudin or someone else have achieved a status in the society, it is not because of blessings of India or any other state but only a result of their remarkable intellectual qualities and hard work,” he said.
He said that by dragging internationally reputed journalist Iftikar Geelani in politics only for the reason that he happens to be Geelani’s son in law, some TV channels have lowered their own stature and have forgotten the ethics of journalism, he said.
“These shameless anchors even forgot the fact that Iftikar Geelani is a member of their own faculty and has suffered worst in Tihar Jail for none of his fault. One wonders why Sallahudin’s children should be put to trail for getting government jobs when they have not even seen once their father during last twenty five years,” he said.
He said that raising questions about Asiya Andrabi’s son for studying abroad, these channels have made a joke of themselves, as they forgot when the same kid along with her mother was jailed at the age of few months. “May ultra nationalist media explain if Asiya’s Husband is languished in jail since more than two decades, why should be his son denied right to education,” he said.
Er Rasheed said that may one ask this state sponsored media that had Geelani and other Hurriyat leaders agreed to talk to govt. of India, would it still have indulged in the dirty propaganda about their family and added that by initiating such nonsense and illogical debates Indian state and its biased media are confessing that they failed to get Hurriyat on board and thus have started a character assassination campaign against Hurriyat leaders and their family. (KNS)