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Hurriyat defers decision on People's Conference
By Shujaat Bukhari
The People's Conference chairman, Sajjad Lone
A joint meeting of the APHC working committee, executive and general council held today was stormy, but did not decide on the expulsion. The People's Conference chairman, Sajjad Lone, however, dared the Hurriyat to take action against his party.
The APHC meeting, chaired by Abdul Gani Bhat, was convened after some of its constituents demanded the expulsion of the PC for "proxy participation" in the elections. The issue was discussed first by the seven-member executive and the PC was represented by Pir Hafizullah Makhdoomi.
Later, all the three bodies met at a marathon session, during which some members shouted slogans demanding the PC's ouster from the 23-party conglomerate.
The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, the Muslim League, the Islamic Students League and the Muslim Khawateen Markaz were more vocal in their demands. As the PC's fate was being discussed, some 200 supporters of the Lone brothers reached the Hurriyat headquarters and raised slogans. It was a show of strength by the PC warning the Hurriyat leadership not to expel the party.
In the executive meeting, the JKLF member, Mohammad Salim, wanted the PC expelled for its "anti-movement and pro-election activities" while the senior executive member, Moulvi Abbas Ansari, suggested giving sufficient time to the PC representative, Bilal Lone, to explain his position.
The Jamat-e-Islami leader, Sheikh Ali Mohammad, sources said, threw his lot behind the PC. The executive then agreed to continue the discussion on Monday.
The APHC chairman, Prof. Bhat, later told presspersons: "We met and discussed the issues pertaining to the decision taken by PC members on contesting the elections. The discussion will continue and we will issue a statement tomorrow." Sources said the APHC wanted to take the extreme step but "timely intervention from across the border" prevented the move.
At his Ralwalpora residence, Mr. Sajjad Lone said, "There is no action yet from the Hurriyat. So we will not react." However, "as long as they go by the Hurriyat constitution and if we are guilty, we will receive the decision with thanks. If they feel we are guilty they have to prove it."
PTI reports from New Delhi:
Even as the Hurriyat Conference deferred its decision against the People's Conference for allegedly fielding dummy candidates in the elections, the amalgam chairman, Abdul Gani Bhat, has already started ``removing'' its leaders from various posts in the conglomerate.
The first axe fell on Abdul Majid Bandey, spokesman of the Conference in the capital, who had been asked by Mr. Bhat to ``hand over'' charge to Khalil Mohammed Khalil of the People's League.
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