Srinagar: Hurriyat (G) chairman, Syed Ali Geelani Tuesday reiterated that the youth of Kashmir have opted gun as a reaction “to the Indian military and occupation of Jammu and Kashmir”.

He stated this after paying tributes to the militant killed in Kakpora Pulwama encounter Irfan Ahmad Rather.

Terming Kashmir as ‘a bone of contention’ between the two nuclear powers of the sub-continent, Geelani regretted that “the stubborn attitude of India regarding this globally accepted political dispute and dealing with it only militarily has created death and destruction in whole state and peace and harmony of whole region is threatened.”

He said that with the resolution of this issue a new era of peace, stability and development will prevail not only in Jammu and Kashmir but in whole South Asia.

Meanwhile, Geelani expressed his shock on the demise of senior Jamaat-e-Islami leader and a well known social activist and his long time associate AlhajAbdul Raheem Langoo of Sopore.

Recalling association with him, Hurriyat chairman said that he was a noble soul, an affectionate human being, a caring citizen, a religious and literary legend and an inspirational freedom lover.

Geelani said that he was first to reach at site of tragedy to anybody, irrespective of party affiliation or regional likings, which had earned him a great respect and love among the people.

“He was imprisoned several times for raising his voice against the rights violations particularly in Sopore,” he said.