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| Finally, Hurriyat constituents challenge Geelani's dictatorship | | Rebellion within amalgam puts ageing leader in tight spot | | Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Dec 22: Finally, a rebellion within the Hurriyat Conference-G led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani has challenged his decisions including recent appointment of "turncoats" like Shabir Shah as the secretary general.
This rebellion within the party has challenged the position of Geelani, whose decision, till a few months ago, would be taken as the "last word". The party has hinted that Geelani's dictatorial decisions won't matter anymore even though "the Constitution of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference entitles the chairman to take such decisions."
In November, the Hurriyat-G appointed Syed Ali Shah Geelani as its lifetime chairman while restructuring the separatist amalgam to accommodate leaders who earlier this year left the rival faction headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.
Senior separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah, who quit the moderate faction of Hurriyat headed by the Mirwaz last year, was appointed as the secretary general of the hardline Hurriyat faction. On the other hand Geelani's longtime loyalists Ghulam Nabi Sumji and Masarat Alam Bhat (who is lodged in a jail since April this year) were appointed as his deputies much to their disappointment.
Besides Shah, Shia leader Agha Syed Hassan and Nayeem Ahmad Khan -- two other notable leaders to switch Hurriyat factions -- were appointed as members to the committee for social and political affairs. Hassan was appointed as the provincial president for Ladakh region while as Khan was appointed as president for Jammu region, where people hate separatists.
Sources said these decisions led to internal bickering, which has snowballed into a major controversy. Insiders said in the past few days some of the Hurriyat G leaders, following heated arguments, exchanged blows at the party head office in Hyderpora.
Insiders said there was so much of hue and cry at the Hurriyat headquarter that the party spokesman had no options but to issue statement which has hinted at weakening position of Geelani.
Hurriyat Conference (G) spokesman Ayaz Akbar said the party will carry out more organisational changes in near future. He admitted that the restructuring accomplished last month on the directions of Geelani, annoyed leaders of many of its constituents and thus was not final.
"We are still in the process of restructuring the organisation and much more will follow. There can be changes and additions as well. Nothing regarding the newly-formed committees and cells is final," Hurriyat spokesman Ayaz Akbar said.
At a meeting of its Executive Council on November 26, the pro-Pakistan group announced six new committees and cells to be headed by leaders of its constituents. Also, various separatist leaders were assigned new posts.
A Hurriyat leader said any decision about organisational restructuring should have been taken after consultation with the constituents. "The decisions were taken in our absence and thus we cannot go by dictatorial policy of Geelani anymore as he wants to glorify turncoats like Shabir Shah, Nayeem Khan and Aga Hassan," he said, adding "enough is enough." |
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