NEW DELHI: The People’s Conference leader, Abdul Ghani Lone, a mainstream politician turned rebel, is here for the first time following his release from jail on September 13, His arrival coincides with the reports of differences ‘among top leaders of the multiparty Hurriyat Conference, a conglomeration of traditional opposition parties of the Kashmir Valley. In an interview, he maintains that Hurriyat leaders are not drifting apart, and feels with the himself and Syed Ali Shah Geelani (Jamat e Islami) ageing, Shabir ‘Ahmed Shah (People’s League) and Yasin Malik (Gamma Kashmir Liberation Front) are the leaders to watch in the future, He alleges that intelligence agencies have withheld his as well as Geelani’s health files as if they were interested in the “further deterioration of our physical condition.
Question; Are top Hurriyat leaders drifting apart? There are reports that Shabir Shah and Yasin Malik are ploughing a lonely furrow and no more bother about the umbrella organization. Is it true? Mr. Lone: It is totally wrong to say that Hurriyat leaders are drifting apart or that Shabir Shah or Yasin are taking a line independent of Hurriyat. I deny it with all vehemence, The fact is that the Indian Government’s top priority ‘at the moment is to create dissensions in Hurriyat in order to split it and its executive which includes young leaders like Shabir and Yasin who are conscious of such attempts and as such will resist them. The goal of these two young leaders and the rest of the Hurriyat leadership is the one and the same. There cannot be any basis for difference in opinion. Let me make clear that all of us belong to Hurriyat ideology. Question: But Hizbul Mujahideen did give a threat to executive Mr. Shabir Shah?
Mr. Lone: It is a wrong and baseless story floated by intelligence agencies in a section of the Indian national press that the His bull Mujahideen had planned to kill Shabir Shah. This was a ploy 10 defame the Hizbul Mujahideen and create a rift between the Hizbul Mujahideen and the supporters of Mr. Shah, Questions: If there are no differences then why is it that every constituent of Hurriyat has kept its identity alive? Mr. Lone: Basically all the constituents of Hurriyat are not political parties. There are political, religious, social and human rights organizations. With the increase in political activity and the exposition of the basic thought of Hurriyat that is, the right to self-determination the process of the merger of likeminded political parties is possible in due course of time.
Question: The majority of Kashmir leaders have been saying that Kashmir Pandits should return to the alley, but none of them seems to be taking an active interest in this regard.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 11, 1994
