Finance Minister Altaf Bukhari today said that Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani is a big leader adding that he is not of Geelani’s stature’.

Bukhari,  who took charge of the ministry after sacking of Drabu’s controversial remarks on Saturday made these comments while talking to reporters on the sidelines of Buyers and Seller meet held at SKICC.

“Geelani is a big leader and i am not of his stature,” Bukhari said while declining to comment on the recent claim of hurriyat leader that he rejected offer of talks.

“Wo bohot badai leader hain. Mera Qadh un sai bohot chota hai,” Bukhari told reporters.

Geelani had claimed that an IB official had urged him to engage in negotiations with the government of India.

Bukhari’s comments come after his predecessor, Haseeb Drabu, made controversial comments saying Kashmir issue is not a political problem. Drabu’s comments costed him his portfolio.