I had no idea my son would decide to join militancy: Ashraf Sehrai, interim chairman of Geelani’s party

Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, 72, who was recently appointed as interim chairman of separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s political party, Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, told ET’s Hakeem Irfan in an interview that he had no idea that his son would join militancy. Edited excerpts:

Your son Junaid joined militancy a few days after your ascension as Tehreek-e-Hurriyat chairman…
I had no idea of my son’s decision. If they (government) want to bracket the two events together to get an excuse to kill me, as would be the fate of my son now, let them do so. I am not afraid or scared. Youngsters are sensitive and prefer dignified death over spending life in perpetual occupation. Maybe Junaid saw me, Geelani sahab and others closely and realised that New Delhi was not ready to accept the reality and peaceful struggle for right to self-determination.

How do you view the central government’s dialogue initiative?
A few weeks ago, an Intelligence Bureau official came to my residence. He was from Bihar. I told him that dialogue and killings can never go side by side. The easiest and most democratic way to resolve the Kashmir issue is through internationally acknowledged right to self-determination of people of J&K. However, the Indian government is holding on to the territory of J&K with military might under the façade of democracy. Nobody is against dialogue — but see what (Dineshwar) Sharmaji (Centre’s interlocutor) is doing. He is talking about installation of electric transformers, transfers and postings of bureaucrats. Isn’t this a joke? Even this Intelligence Bureau official laughed.

Has Hurriyat leadership failed to achieve anything tangible in the past 25 years?
If somebody has invested in an apple orchard and it isn’t bearing fruit even after 30 years, his lamentation is genuine. However, freedom movements based on principles, morals, rights and historical reality don’t have deadlines. India managed to achieve freedom after 150 years. Freedom struggle is most popular right now. We are open to criticism from those who believe in the freedom of J&K and not from those who believe in status quo.

How would you respond to the voices among militants propagating a global agenda of jihad?
Our agenda is limited to J&K. We’re fighting as an unarmed society, not as a state. Do we have the ability, consensus and wherewithal to take the world’s responsibility? We feel the pain of people across the globe where humanity is trampled. But we cannot take up a global cause. We are fighting a one million (strong) army empty-handed. We shouldn’t divide on the basis of sect and ideology.