Nobody can marginalise Hurriyat, says new chief

SRINAGAR, AUG 1: A miffed Hurriyat Conference today said Fazal Haque Qureshi, who has been nominated by the Hizbul Mujahideen as their neg...

SRINAGAR, AUG 1: A miffed Hurriyat Conference today said Fazal Haque Qureshi, who has been nominated by the Hizbul Mujahideen as their negotiator, will have to take the organisation into confidence. It expressed its disapproval of the Hizb’s stand that only a part of the Hurriyat would find a place in it’s negotiating team.

Qureshi’s nomination has apparently left the secessionist coalition, which had earlier called the Hizb cease-fire a hasty decision, feeling isolated.

“Qureshi is an important member of the Hurriyat general council and he will have to take the Hurriyat into confidence. In case he doesn’t, we willseek an explanation from him and he will have to face the procedural music,” warned Professor Abdul Gani Bhat, Chairman of the secessionist conglomerate while speaking to The Indian Express.

Qureshi, who is a low-key veteran separatist, according to sources, is said to be close to the liberal lobby in the Hurriyat. Just a few days back he had visited Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Lone along with his party — People’s Patriotic Party — colleague Musadiq Adil.

When reminded of the Hizb stand that only a part of Hurriyat would find place on it’s negotiating team, Bhat said: “We will not go by such parts, it has to be a collective decision. Hurriyat is not bound by the Hizb stand. It’s our discretion in the light of our constitution.”

Explaining his stand, he said “Hurriyat has a constitution and all decisions have to be collective. We will deliberate on this issue.” He said Hurriyat had no problems with anybody who accepted it’s constitution. “Fazal was a Hurriyat Conference member anyway,” Bhat added.

When this reporter pointed out the general perception that Hurriyat had been marginalised, Bhat said: “One thing should be borne in mind, that sentiment is the beat of the heart and it can be be felt only in the heart. Nobody can marginalise Hurriyat. This has been talked about for the past seven years.”

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The Hurriyat supremo denied having approached separatist leader Shabir Shah but said they want all freedom-lovers on board. He refused to say whether the Hurriyat would like Shah to support them but added “we will discuss that in the Hurriyat. Anybody who wants to join the Hurriyat will be a member of the general council and he will have to accept the constitution.”

Shah, too, has denied that the Hurriyat has approached him for his return. “Nobody from the Hurriyat has approached me,” he said. But would he join if asked to? “Let them send a formal invitation which we will discuss in our executive and general council, and whatever decision is taken, that will be the deciding factor,” Shah said.

He said he was for a dialogue to find a permanent solution to Kashmir and not just for restoring peace.