The Hurriyat Conference faction led by the radical separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has called for peaceful demonstrations on Friday followed by a shutdown in Kashmir valley on Saturday against what he called the Narendra Modi government’s “Israeli-type plan of turning Kashmir into another Gaza” by attempting to start a fresh Hindu pilgrimage to the Pir Panjal glacial lake of Kousar Nag.

In a statement on Thursday, Mr. Geelani asked Kashmiris to stage demonstrations after Friday prayers at all mosques against the attempts of “cultural aggression by Delhi’s communal forces.”

He claimed that the proposal of starting a fresh pilgrimage to Kousar Nag was “an Israeli-type plan of occupying the Valley’s land and transforming Kashmir into a hub of the Hindu religious tourism.”

Omar Abdullah’s government, he said, had played a “criminal role” by incorporating Kousar Nag as a tourist spot. Kousar Nag serves as source to the Aharbal waterfall and Veshav rivulet that irrigates agriculture lands and apple-rich orchards in Shopian, Kulgam and Anantnag district in the Valley.

As already reported, Mr. Abdullah’s government has withdrawn permission for the yatra from the Kulgam-Aharbal side following a shutdown and demonstrations on Wednesday.