‘Loyal citizen’: Geelani’s granddaughter, Shabir Shah’s daughter distance themselves from separatism

The two women have also said they are not affiliated to any organisation that is against the sovereignty of the Union of India.

File photos of Shabir Shah and Syed Ali Shah Geelani | Commons and ANI

New Delhi: Separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah’s daughter, Sama Shabir Shah, and the late Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s granddaughter, Ruwa Shah, have published identical notices in local newspapers in Kashmir distancing themselves from the “separatist ideology”.

In the notices published last week, the two women, family members of separatist patriarchs, have also asserted that they are loyal citizens of India and aren’t affiliated with any organisation that is against the country’s sovereignty.

“I don’t have any connection or affiliation with Hurriyat Conference run by my grandfather Syed Ali Shah Geelani. I don’t have any inclination or sympathy towards the ideology of the organisation,” Ruwa Shah said in her notice.

Her father, Geelani’s son-in-law Altaf Ahmad Shah, died last year while in jail in a terror-funding case.

“I am a loyal citizen of India not affiliated with any organisation or association which has an agenda against the Union of India and I owe allegiance to the Constitution of my country (India),” Shah added.

When contacted, Shah refused to comment, saying she did not want to speak to the media.

In a separate notice, Sama Shabir said, “I have not been associated nor have an affiliation with the Democratic Freedom Party, nor do I have any inclination towards the ideology of the Democratic Freedom Party. I hereby declare that if any person uses my name with the said party, Democratic Freedom Party, I shall take legal action against them.”

“I am a loyal citizen of India and I am not affiliated with any person or organisation which is against the sovereignty of the Union of India.”

When contacted for comment, Sama Shabir’s family said she was in the UK.

Shabir Ahmad Shah has been in jail since 2017 after the Enforcement Directorate arrested him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Later, the NIA also took custody of Shah in an alleged terror-funding case.

(Edited Tikli Basu)