Salahuddin, Geelani masterminding Kashmir violence: Ram Madhav

New Delhi, Sep 10: The BJPs tiol general secretary and its Kashmir point person Ram Madhav on Saturday said Pakistan-based militant commander Syed Salahuddin was masterminding the ongoing unrest in the valley through Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

In an interview with India Today TV, Madhav said the two-month long unrest - the deadliest the valley has suffered in six years - had posed no threat to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Bharatiya Jata Party (BJP) coalition government in the state. He said the government was committed to “bring back normalcy” in the valley before Eid - a Muslim festival that is being celebrated on Tuesday.

“Stone-pelting needs to be stopped,” he said and blamed United Jehad Council commander Syed Salahuddin, who is based in Muzaffarabad - the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir - for sponsoring the agitation in Kashmir.

“It is led by Syed Salahuddin and certain sections get influenced by him. Geelani is leading the campaign in the valley. There is no doubt about that. But the real masterminds are from across the border,” Madhav said. (IANS)