Mind your business, let us handle political decisions: Hurriyat says to Hizb
Sadiq Ali
Srinagar
Tue, 08 May 2007: May 08: A wedge or something else, but latest statement made by the Mirwaiz led faction of Hurriyat Conference might force them to stand against largest indigenous militant group of Kashmir - Hizbul Mujahideen HM. ??Leave political decisions to political leaders,? is the message moderate faction militant payseed to.
The moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference issued the statement on Monday, asking militant group to refrain from issuing ??irresponsible statements??. For common people it might be something obvious but the people associated or interested with the Kashmir issue know how big the issue actually is. In recent times, this statement might be the only daring one issued by Hurriyat in defiance of Syed Salahuddin led militant group.
"We don't understand at whose behest are such statements against the Hurriyat leadership issued, and whose interest it serves," a statement of the Hurriyat issued in Srinagar on Monday said.
"The Hurriyat and its leadership have had a clear stand about Kashmir issue," the statement said.
Hurriyat issued the statement after Hizbul Mujahideen issued one on Saturday, against its Chairman, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, asking him to ??give up the talk about peace process with New Delhi.??
Reacting to a Friday speech by Mirwaiz, the Hizbul Mujahideen spokesperson Junaid-ul-Islam said that Mirwaiz should stop advocating peace process from pulpit of Jamia Masjid and instead preach freedom and Jihad like his grandfather Moulana Yusuf Shah.
Jamia Masjid (Grand Mosque) is situated in the heart of old city and throughout the turbulent period in the valley remained as a hot seat for protests and demonstrations. Moulana Yousuf Shah used it against Maharaja Hari singh before independence and Mirwaiz Umer and his colleagues used it against India, while fulfilling religious obligation of a preacher.
Reacting to the Hizb statement Hurriyat has reiterated that such statements only ??strengthened the enemies of the movement??. Hurriyat has made this clear: we know how to take the ongoing movement forward and they (militants) should leave political decisions to the political leadership.
"It is a people's movement and not a legacy of some individual or organisation. The internationally accepted leadership (Hurriyat) knows how to take ahead the freedom movement. And it would be in the larger interest of the nation to leave politics to political leadership," the spokesman had reportedly said.
Taking a further dig at the Hizb, the Hurriyat said it was surprising that on one hand Hizb was praising pro-India leaders, and on the other criticizing the Hurriyat Conference. Such statements only harm the ??movement??. As reported by Newstrack India, militant group had praised the pro-India National conference for the stand of its president, Omar Abdullah, regarding Hizb??s involvement in the dialogue process with India.
From time to time Hizb had issued such statements as they had echoed the need of keeping tab on political leadership but the things have taken a different course now.
Mirwaiz lost his father and uncle since insurgency erupted in the valley. The former was killed by militants in early 90s and latter was gunned down by unidentified gunmen outside his house.
Mirwaiz might be brave enough to withstand the pressure but the concerned people know it is not an easy one.