The Hindu : Geelani trying to split APHC: Sajjad Lone

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2003

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Geelani trying to split APHC: Sajjad Lone

By Luv Puri

Jammu July 8. The People's Conference chairman, Sajjad Lone, today accused the Jamait-e-Islami leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, of trying to split the All-Party Hurriyat Conference.

Talking to The Hindu, Mr. Lone said Mr. Geelani was damaging the cause of Kashmiris by creating an atmosphere where they got isolated. "My party did not participate in the Jammu and Kashmir elections. On the other hand, the Jamait cadre in south Kashmir supported the People's Democratic Party in the elections.''

He alleged that Mr. Geelani caused threat calls to him and his brother, Bilal Lone, from various militant outfits by labelling the People's Conference an "enemy of the Kashmiris". Mr. Geelani's ideology was not in tune with the present world order and if he continued on the same lines, he would isolate the people of Kashmir and divide the pro-Kashmir forces, he said.

Mr. Lone also charged Mr. Geelani with creating an atmosphere that led to the assassination of his father, Abdul Ghani Lone.

"Mr. Geelani has come with a simple design — to split the Hurriyat Conference. That is what the Centre wants and he is just being a tool in their hands," he said.

Describing Mr. Geelani as an "ideological nightmare for the Kashmiri struggle and a dream gift for the Central Government", he said: "the need to resolve the Kashmir issue has acquired an element of urgency. The current peace winds blowing across India and Pakistan are an indicator of the prescriptive role of the international community. India and Pakistan have pooled all their diplomatic talent in order to devise a strategy that maximises their benefits. In a clean break from the past, both India and Pakistan are exhibiting civilised behaviour."

Mr. Lone circulated a letter by his brother, who represents the People's Conference in the Hurriyat executive, to the APHC chairman Abdul Gani Bhat, detailing the party's charges against Mr. Geelani.

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Geelani trying to split APHC: Sajjad Lone