Page 35 - English Tehelka Issue 7 - April 15, 2018

kashmir

n March 19, Hurriyat logically aligned, seeking merger flags are strengthening the roots of The proposals unveiled by Mush-
(G) chairman Syed of Kashmir with Pakistan through occupation in Kashmir. New Delhi arraf in 2006 had set out a four stage
Ali Shah Geelani dra- the implementation of United directly benefits by this. These youth incremental process for resolution
matically announced Nations Resolutions. Both have tell the world that we are extremists of the Kashmir territorial dispute.
O the appointment of clambered through the ranks in and deserve to be killed.” The steps were: identification of the
his long time protégé Mohammad politico-religious outfit Jamaat-e- He even took a position against regions in Kashmir for solution, demili-
Ashraf Sehrai as the new chief of Islami. But in 2004, the two split Zakir Musa, the chief of Ansar tarization, self-governance and a joint
his party Tehreek-i-Hurriyat. This from Jamaat after the latter refused Gazwat-ul-Hind, an Al Qaeda management or a consultative mecha-
is the first time that the leadership their request to play a more active affiliate. “Zakir Musa is the light of nism between India and Pakistan on
of any party has changed hands in role in the separatist movement and my eyes. He left everything for the the state.
the separatist political camp and founded Tehreek-i-Hurriyat. sacred cause. But I want to tell him There are a good number of peo-
assumes profound significance as A year earlier, Geelani had bro- that by moving towards extremism ple in the Valley who sympathise
it is the patriarch Geelani who is ken away from the then Hurriyat he was doing India a favour.” State- with Geelani’s stance. And to some,
making the way for one. Conference and formed an alterna- ments like these have gone viral on he sounds increasingly impractical.
But this hardly means that tive alliance of the separatist parties social media in the Valley and have Geelani’s rigidness is seen as rooted
generated a contentious debate for in history. Being the last of the major
political leaders in Kashmir of the 1947
and against the role of global jihadi
In a first, leadership groups in Kashmir. stock, Geelani still connects Kashmir
to partition while the world has moved
But the real significance of Seh-
rai’s takeover of TeH lies in the pass-
changes hands in ing of the leadership baton – albeit Succession in
still at the party level. Succession in
separatist circles has always been
separatist circles
a ticklish issue. More so, that of
separatist camp Geelani who is arguably the most has always been
powerful pro-Pakistan separatist
a ticklish issue.
leader. The ailing hawk has now
relinquished the leadership of his More so, that
party but it wouldn’t make much
As hardliner Geelani makes way for a successor in his party, it will difference as long as he remains the of Geelani who
make little difference to the separatist group’s approach towards head of the Hurriyat amalgam. Also, is arguably the
in the appointment of Sehrai, he has
New Delhi or to the resolution of Kashmir, riyaz wani writes ensured that a potential new lead- most powerful
er at the helm is informed by his pro-Pakistan
ideological outlook. And this would
Sehrai is Geelani’s successor. For called Hurriyat-Geelani or Hurriyat mean perpetuation of a hardline separatist leader
Tehreek-i-Hurriyat is only one of (G). Here again, Sehrai was with him. political stance on Kashmir. photos: faisal khan
the constituents of the Hurriyat (G), But all his life, Sehrai has preferred Geelani’s approach over the
the powerful separatist alliance, of to work under Geelani’s shadows years has become more rejectionist. on. And with Sehrai in charge, little • Change of guard Syed Ali Shah Geelani self-determination to the people.
which Geelani is the lifetime chair- and it is only now that he is step- He is for dialogue with New Delhi is going to change. And he makes no stepped down last week as chief of “People should be allowed to decide
man. But by Sehrai’s election as the ping out into the limelight. And in but before that wants the Centre bones about it. “Let me be clear about Tehreek-e-Hurriyat their fate as promised by the Indian
TeH head, he has become the most his first statements, he has not shied to acknowledge Kashmir as a one thing if people think our stance leaders,” he said. “The issue should be
favourite candidate to succeed away from asserting his leadership disputed territory and also seeks may change by appointing me as TeH resolved according to the will and
Geelani in Hurriyat (G) too - should and making some bold statements involvement of Pakistan as a party head, then they are wrong,” Sehrai Tell me what kind of dialogue is this aspiration of Kashmiri people that is
such an occasion arise in future, about the prevailing situation in in a trilateral process, with Kash- told a local daily in an interview. “Our that Dineshwar Sharma is going to far- acceptable to all otherwise there will
that is. the state. miris as the main party to the stance will never change come what flung areas and people are telling him be no compromise”.
Sehrai is 78, a decade younger For example, Sehrai was forth- dispute. And to top it all, he also may. We believe Kashmir is a dispute that we are without electric transform- As these statements make amply
than Geelani and also boasts of right in his condemnation of the rejects any new settlement pro- and it should be resolved according to er? Isn’t this a joke? They can’t befool clear, were Sehrai to succeed Geelani
being the senior-most after his ISIS and Al Qaeda, saying Kashmir posals on Kashmir which detract the aspirations of its people. We will not us,” Sehrai said. “Tell me did Sharma’s as the Hurriyat chairman, it will make
mentor. The two have been to- had nothing to do with any organi- from the implementation of the hold any dialogue until or unless India appointment as interlocutor make any little difference to the grouping’s
gether since 1959 when Geelani zation plying a global agenda. UN resolutions on Kashmir. And for is serious about it.” difference? People are being killed, approach towards New Delhi or to the
brought Sehrai from his village in “Daesh (ISIS) and Al-Qaida have this very reason, he had opposed Sehrai has also been dismissive of blinded and tortured every day. This is resolution of Kashmir. It will almost be
Kupwara to head a madrassa in nothing to do with our movement the former Pakistan president Per- the interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma. a futile exercise”. like Geelani succeeding Geelani.
Sopore, Geelani’s hometown. And and we will never accept them,” vez Musharraf’s four point formula “By appointing the so-called interlocu- And like Geelani, his only solution
more importantly, the two are ideo- Sehrai had said. “Those raising ISIS on Kashmir. tors New Delhi is just buying the time. for Kashmir is the grant of right to letters@tehelka.com

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