Another split in Hurriyat?

By: SHAH ABBAS

GNS SRINAGAR  MAY 29 : Already playing tension within the Mirwaiz led Hurriyat Conference spilled out in the open recently with Prof Bhat’s rubbishing UN resolutions on Kashmir. Developments since have revealed extreme acrimony within the conglomerate leading to speculation that it might split again with some desirous of proxy participation in the election process. Shah Abbas analyses. 

The political forum, All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) that wants an end of Indian rule over Jammu & Kashmir is on its way to yet another split, second after its formation in 1993. The conglomerate of several pro-freedom parties first split on the ‘principal of cleansing’ when the ageing and the most powerful separatist voice, Syed Ali Geelani walked out with his own faction in 2002. Now the faction led by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq is at the verge of a division. 

Interestingly, the reason for the first split in the united APHC was, as Geelani had described it, ‘to protect the Hurriyat constitution’. The so-called moderate faction of the APHC is now divided again in the name of ‘protecting’ the same constitution. One of its senior leaders, Azam Inqilabi has used the same term ‘cleansing’ in one of his statements as was used by Geelani at the time of the first split in 2002. 

The Mirwaiz led APHC’s three frontline leaders are accusing Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, one of the executive leaders, of violating the constitution because he said the UNSC Kashmir resolutions are ‘impracticable. Prof Bhat also suggested working with ‘mainstream’ political parties like the PDP and the NC for reaching any result in the resolution process. This statement by Prof Bhat has shattered the whole conglomerate to the extent that senior leaders, Shabir Shah and Nayeem Khan’s supporters clashed with Bilal Gani Lone and chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq’s supporters demanding an explanation from ‘the violators of the constitution’, though what Prof Bhat said was nothing new from him. 

Prof Bhat’s remark that ‘the UN resolutions on Kashmir could not be practically implemented’ has opened wide cracks within the separatist conglomerate, with opposing factions coming to blows at its headquarters on May 20 during a seminar organized to commemorate late Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq and Abdul Gani Lone, the slain fathers of Mirwaiz Umer and Bilal Lone respectively.

At the very beginning of the seminar, the rift within the Mirwaiz led APHC leaders was evident when Shabir Shah, Nayeem Khan and Zafar Akbar Bhat refused to take chairs meant for them and Abbas Ansari had to pose for press photographers all alone in the long row of the special chairs. Mirwaiz Umer was put under house arrest, while Prof Bhat could not attend as his grandson had passed away recently. Bilal Lone too was also put under house arrest and Aga Hassan was traveling abroad.

“This is utter violation of the Hurriyat constitution. And whosoever has done it ceases to be a member of the conglomerate. We represent this movement. We will not allow any person to redirect or misdirect it,” said Nayeem Khan at the very beginning of his fiery speech while his senior partner Shabir Shah kept nodding affirmatively. “The movement does not belong to any party or person.” 

Khan didn’t spare even the chairman of the grouping. “We have every right to ask Mirwaiz Umer Farooq that why he remained silent when Abdul Gani Bhat violated the Hurriyat constitution, it is the same Mirwaiz who advocates Kashmiris’ right to self-determination under UN resolutions in the ouside world but he has to answer that why he did not react to Abdul Gani Bhat’s statement at the very dice in Botengo Baramulla,” an angry Khan said.

These remarks questioning the Mirwaiz caused a commotion in the jam-packed hall at the APHC(M) Rajbagh headquarters. The supporters of Mirwaiz disrupted Khan’s the speech and tried to attack him, but the supporters of Khan and Shabir Shah together prevented them. Both the groups destroyed the seating arrangement by throwing the plastic chairs at each another and later, amid loud sloganeering, went out in the open abusing, pushing and showing fists to each other. The bizarre show of acrimony went on for quite a while. 

Despite Shah and Khan appealing the clashing groups their provocative sloganeering did not stop. In the meantime Moulana Abbas Ansari fled from the venue terming the scene a ‘little thing’. “Even in assembly and parliament such things happen,” Ansari said while boarding his vehicle. 

Shah and Khan also left soon but repeated the demand of an unconditional apology from Prof Bhat.

Earlier on May 8, Mirwaiz Umer had called a meeting of the APHC executive committee in a ttempt to keep the flock together, but the event saw leaders exchange heated words inside and their supporters shout slogans against each other outside.

At the seminar, leading the charge against Mirwaiz Umar was senior separatist leader Shabir Shah himself, who asked the chairman to come clean on Prof Bhat’s statement. After the meeting, the supporters of Shah and Bilal Lone got themselves into a marathon shouting match.

Mirwaiz later reaffirmed the Hurriyat’s official stand at his residence. “The Kashmir issue can be resolved in a just way by implementing the UN resolution”. He asked his colleagues not to publicly express any views against the Hurriyat constitution. “If they have any individual opinion that should be discussed within the Hurriyat and not in front of the people,” Mirwaiz said. While he was talking to reporters Bilal Lone’s supporters, on seeing their leader coming out, shouted slogans in his favour and Shah, who was already seated in his vehicle to leave, abruptly returned and shouted “Hum Nay Chudian Nahein Pahnee Hein (We are no cowards)”. 

Earlier in May, a group of APHC(M) general council members had a chance to sit together in a function organized to celebrate the anniversary of Mahaz-e-Azadi, a constituent led by the veteran Azam Inqillabi. Inqillabi denounced Prof Bhat for his remarks on UN resolutions. He said, “UN resolutions guarantee our right to self-determination, they are bypassing the General Council and don’t take the council into confidence. They talk about things that are never discussed in the General Council.”

Pro Abdul Gani Bhat made his controversial remarks at a rally in his native village Batengo in Baramulla. But for his opponents, the UN resolutions have an overarching symbolic value and validity. “What is Kashmir dispute without the UN resolutions?,” asks Hurriyat executive member, Shah.

Pro Bhat has made similar statements in the past as well. He spearheaded a campaign to mobilise support for former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s four point proposal, which envisaged a bilateral resolution of Kashmir without any reference to the UN resolutions.

In the ongoing rift between these leaders, Engineer Rashid, the fire brand MLA representing Langate, added fuel to the fire. He screened a video for the media and revealed that Prof Bhat and Bilal Lone have shared stage with Bilal’s brother Sajad Lone, who in the recent past has joined election politics, an act which is described as ‘anti-movement’ by all the separatist leaders and parties. Rashid claimed that the Langate rally of Hurriat(M) was a result of coordination between Hurriyat (M) and Sajad Lone’s Peoples Conference. 

The APHC(M), however, sharply reacted against Rashid’s accusation. Rashid during his press conference identified Panchs, Sarpanchs and ‘Renegades’ in the video who he claimed belonged to Sajad Lone’s party. The APHC(M) did not deny these allegations. 

A few people, like Rashid, believe that a section of Mirwaiz led Hurriyat Conference by showing it’s willingness to work along with mainstream parties like National Conference and PDP may be readying to participate in the election process. Pertinently, a very active player on the track-II front from Indian side and former RAW chief AS Dulat recently said, “they (APHC) must have their innings”. 

The present rift within the Mirwaiz grouping has it’s roots in 2009 when almost all the General Council Members very strongly demanded restructuring of the amalgam. Shah who very powerfully advocated district level offices for the organisation led them. Mirwaiz bought time then using his constitutional powers and disbanded all the posts within the conglomerate promising immediate restructuring. 

Three years have passed since, but the promised restructuring did not happen. Sources said that restructuring is opposed by Prof Bhat and Bilal Lone who are supporting each other’s views in the APHC(M). In June 2009, Shah, known for his pro unification stance was arrested along with his old associate and now chairman of his own group, Jammu Kashmir National Front, Nayeem Khan. Shah has accused that he was arrested in 2008 because he was trying to unite the two factions of APHC . Shah said, “My arrest was only to sabotage my efforts.” Khan even went to the extent of saying that his and Shah’s frequent arrests are a result of the APHC(M)’s internal rifts. 

Shah, Khan and Zafar Akbar Bhat went underground on May 24 to avoid their house arrest, a frequent affair with some particular separatist leaders, and addressed a public meeting in Pulwama to exhibit their ‘strength’. Interestingly, the three accompanied by Javed Mir, leader of a faction of JKLF. Mir is not a part of any faction of the APHC. Observers believe that the joint activities are an indication that there may be a third front in the separatist camp, though the squabbling leaders strongly oppose any suggestion to break the APHC(M).