Identify emissaries who called on you, Omar Abdullah asks SAS Geelani

SRINAGAR: Amidst a controversy over Syed Ali Shah Geelani's claim that Narendra Modi had sent emissaries to meet him, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today questioned the secrecy behind the move and asked the hardline separatist leader to identify the pointmen to establish who was "lying".

With BJP denying Geelani's claims, Omar said the easiest way to find out the truth was to identify the emissaries.

"So SAS (Syed Ali Shah) Geelani has claimed that NaMo (Narendra Modi) sent emissaries to talk to him and other separatist leaders in Delhi, in SASG's case twice," Omar wrote on twitter.com.

"So who is lying SAS Geelani or the NaMo campaign? Easy way to find out - let SASG identify the emissaries who met him on behalf of NaMo," the chief minister said.

The chief minister wanted to know who the emissaries were and what offer they made as the BJP's position on Article 370 of the Constitution, which guarantees special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) was known, he said.

"Given BJP's position on Art370 & AFSPA can we know who these NaMo emissaries were & what was on offer? Why the secrecy?" he wrote.

Geelani had yesterday claimed that Modi had sent emissaries to him to create a "soft corner" by making a commitment to seek a solution to the Kashmir issue.

However, BJP termed Geelani's claims as "mischievous" and without any basis, saying no emissary has either tried to meet or had met Geelani to discuss the Kashmir issue.

"The party has time and again condemned the negative role played by leaders such as Geelani whose politics is a threat to the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir," BJP said and demanded that Geelani apologise for the "false" statement.