A year after deserting the moderate faction of separatist Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, three prominent separatists on Wednesday joined the Syed Ali Geelani-led hardline faction, indicating new alignments in the separatist camp in Kashmir.
Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) Chief Shabir Shah, National Front Chairman Nayeem Khan and Shia cleric Agha Syed Hassan announced that they would work for the “freedom struggle” under Geelani’s leadership. Interestingly, Shah and Khan had floated third faction of Hurriyat Conference last year after developing differences with the leadership of moderate faction they were aligned with.
The separatist leadership in Kashmir is divided in a number of groups and sub-groups. For decades, the leaders of these groups, some of whom have even no supporters, change their loyalties. Though most of the separatists are aligned with either faction of Hurriyat each led by Mirwaiz and Geelani, several groups like Yasin Malik-led JKlF, Dukhtaran-e-Millat and Jamaat-e-Islami are not associated with them unlike in the past.
Surpirisngly, Geelani and his new comrades refused to take questions after they explained their purpose to re-join hands. Geelani said that they have formulated the alliance on the basis of ideology that seeks resolution of Kashmir issue in the purview of UN resolutions.
Geelani warned the Mufti Sayeed-led coalition Government on choking the voices of dissent and subjecting the separatist leaders to confinement. “This attitude will have dangerous consequences. I warn the rulers that a situation will emerge when they will not find a place to take refuge in”, he said.
He said the Kashmiri people will not forget “the sacrifices offered in the freedom struggle”. “Oppressed people are fed with doses of development like wine to keep them in inebriated state, while in free societies development is a spontaneous process,” he said.