SRINAGAR: The hardine Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Geelani has become more stronger and powerful in the Valley with joining of eight separatists of different groups including five from moderate faction of conglomerate led by cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.
“Eight separatists representing different parties joined our Hurriyat Conference after a meeting with conglomerate’s chairman Syed Ali Geelani at his Hyderpora residence this morning,” said Ayaz Akbar, a spokesman of Hurriyat Conference led by Geelani.
Among those who joined Geelani’s faction of Hurriyat include five separatists who recently quit the moderate faction led by Mirwaiz and another from the conglomerate led by Shabir Shah.
“Those who joined our Hurriyat include Bilal Sidiqui of Tehreek-e-Mazahamat, Shahid Salim from Jammu region of J&K People’s Movement, Yasmeen Raja of Muslim Khaawteen Markaz, Mohammad Yousuf Naqash of Islamic Political Party, Chaudhary Shaheen Iqbal of Gujjar Pahari Forum, Syed Bashir Andrabi of Kashmir Freedom Front, Hakim Abdul Rashid of Muslim League (R) and Sibti Mohammad Shabir Qumi of Peervan-e-Wilayat,” Akbar said.
Akbar said in presence of Geelani, a function was organized in which the new constituents of the conglomerate signed an agreement outrightly rejecting the solution like soft borders, status quo, four point formula and internal autonomy.
He said the new entrants also agreed that till India accepts the disputed nature of Kashmir, they will not take part in any bilateral or triangular dialogue process. “They will also not indulge in any activity which will create doubts and misunderstandings.”
Geelani’s Hurriyat had in August last year called for grand alliance of separatists groups to carry on the “united struggle”.
With the joining of the new entrants, the strength of constituents of the hardline Hurriyat Conference has increased and it has become more stronger than the moderate faction led by Mirwaiz. The moderate faction is now reduced to only few constituents.
Geelani, who favours hardline approach and opposes any bilateral dialogue with New Delhi, had floated his own faction of Hurriyat Conference in September 2003 after party of the conglomerate Peoples Conference fielded proxy candidates in 2002 Assembly elections.
During two rallies of Geelani within a month – one in Srinagar and another in Tral township in South Kashmir – his supporters and activists waved Pakistani flags and chanted pro-Pakistan slogans.
His close aide and confidant Masrat Alam was arrested on April 17 after he was found to have waved Pakistani flags and chanted pro-Pakistan slogans during a rally in Srinagar on April 15.
Geelani also opposes separate townships for displaced Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley and in fact recently Kashmir shut on his call against the prposed move of government to create separate clusters for the Pandit community.
While welcoming the new entrants, Geelani asked them to remain steadfast, show sincerity and firm determination. “The movements are not won by the weaponry but it is won on the basis of confidence and performance and where there is lack of confidence, the atomic bombs also prove useless there.”
“No freedom struggle has been time-bound but no movement of any nation has failed so far. Our resolve is that we will fight the oppression till the last breath and we will transfer this struggle to the next generation in its original form,” he said.
