NEW DELHI: Just as signals for Jammu and Kashmir elections have begun to be sent out from New Delhi militant political activists are considering the usefulness of an umbrella organization for all their various groups. The umbrella organization is being thought of not as a forum for coordination of election activity but to prepare and execute plans to enable militant groups to retain their current clout even after the polls whether they participate in them or not.
Five top militant leaders who have been simultaneously released may take the initiative in forming the organization. They are Syed Ali Shah Geelani Gammat-e-Islami) Abdul Ghani Lone (Peoples Conference) Moulvi Mohammad Abbas Anari Qazi Nissar and Prof Abdul Ghani Bhat (Muslim United Front). According to indication the five are “also banking on the support of Shabir Shah Young Peoples League leader.
Having stayed together in jail during the last two years these “Leaders have decided to end their differences. Apparently another consideration that has drawn them closers that their relevance to the existing situation in the valley also depends only upon their unity. For though non-violent political activists themselves they have fiddled with terrorism for a long time and are now likely to find themselves riding a tiger.
The new organization is likely to have a different nomenclature from the Muslim United Front (MUF) which had shaken Dr. Farooq Abdullahs National Conference to its roots in the elections.
It is generally admitted that these leaders jointly have the strength to tum the situation the way they want. Of them Geelanis organization controls the fundamentalist Hizbul Mujahideen one is looked upon as a charismatic figure by many young activists of the Jammu-Kashmir Liberation Front JKLF.
Nevertheless close observers of the Kashmir scene believe that these leaders will take some time before coming to grips with the changed realities in the valley where militant outfits have mushroomed and quite few militant leaders have tasted the good as well as the power or the gun The Narasimha Rao Government appears to feel that the exposure of these leaders of the current situation will convince them about the need to restore violence-free atmosphere in the valley. The ruling party at the Center seems keen on holding elections before October. At least two senior party leaders Ghulam Rasool Kar and Mangat Ram Sharma have already made an announcement to this effect in the name of the Prime Minister at a public meeting in Jammu.
Quite a few observers find the governments signals amazing. None is sure who all will participate in the elections and moreover the Congress-Tin the state is itself a divided house with the powerful Gujjar community itching for an honorable place in the organization under the leadership of Mian Bashir.
Indications are that the government may send some more feelers be that the ruling party picks up a Jammu and Kashmir leader as its candidate for the post of the vice President. The names of Syed Mir Qasim a former chief minister and Dr. Karan Singh are being mentioned in this context. Both are close to the Prime Minister.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 17, 1992
