M A I N   N E W S

Geelani, Lone supporters clash
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Dec 13 — The Chairman All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC), Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, has taken up the task of mediating between the warring groups in the APHC. Though he asserted that there were no differences in the conglomerate, he, however, condemned what he called “rowdyism” in and around the APHC headquarters on two occasions in recent days.

He was referring to today’s incident in which supporters of Mr Abdul Gani Lone, were mauled by activists of Jamait-e-Islami faction led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

Mr Lone’s supporters had visited the APHC headquarters to suggest to other leaders and activists of the Hurriyat Conference to reach the Srinagar airport in order to give a warm welcome to Mr Lone on his return from Pakistan. But they rejected it and reportedly abused Mr Lone’s supporters.

Three days ago Mr Lone’s supporters had clashed with those belonging to other constituents of the APHC, especially those belonging to Jamait-e-Islami. The two sides exchanged fisticuffs and abuses when one side berated Mr Lone for having made statements, including his interview with the Washington Post, in which he had reportedly accused the fundamentalists of scuttling peace process in Jammu and Kashmir. In his other statement, which was published by many local papers, Mr Lone had stated that people in Kashmir were not for the valley’s merger with Pakistan.

This had irked the Jamait-e-Islami leaders and they targeted supporters or Mr Lone even when he had not reached Delhi from Islamabad. In Delhi Mr Lone clarified that he had not made any reference to fundamentalists and he had simply blamed extremists in India and Pakistan for keeping the cauldron of violence boiling. This clarification seemed to have no impact on the anti-Lone lobby in the APHC.

However, Professor Bhat said that he had already condemned the incidents at the APHC headquarters. Asked why senior leaders of the APHC had not joined those who had gone to the Srinagar airport for receiving Mr Lone today, Professor Bhat said that he himself would call on Mr Lone after he reached his residence. “There is no serious differences among the Hurriyat Conference,” he reiterated, adding that irritants could be resolved.

In reply to another question he expressed satisfaction over the progress of the peace initiatives announced by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee. Asked if the Government of India permitted him the JKLF chief, Mohammed Yasin Malik and Awami Action Committee chairman, Maulvi Umar Farooq to visit Pakistan for consultations with the Mujahid groups without including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the APHC chairman said that Mr Geelani had already said that if talks at any level were to be held for resolving the Kashmir issue they should be held in Srinagar.

He said that if the Government of India did not accept “our conditions”, which were not unacceptable and extraneous, the blame for sabotaging the peace talks would fall on New Delhi.