The Hindu : Hurriyat to convene joint session

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Apr 01, 2004

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Hurriyat to convene joint session

By Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR, MARCH 31. The Abbas Ansari-led Hurriyat Conference has convened a joint session of its constituents here on April 7 to discuss the political situation in the backdrop of its second round of talks with the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, and the coming elections.

After a meeting of the executive committee here, senior Hurriyat leader, Abdul Gani Bhat, told The Hindu that it had been decided to convene a joint meeting of the general council, executive as also some prominent citizens who have a role in opinion-making on Wednesday.

The executive, Prof. Bhat said, would inform its constituents about its deliberations with the Pakistan High Commission officials and a delegation of the Pakistani parliamentarians as also the meeting with Mr. Advani.

A delegation led by the Hurriyat chairman, Moulana Abbas Ansari, held a meeting with Mr. Advani and a number of diplomats last week. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Prof. Bhat and Bilal Lone were the other members.

Prof. Bhat said the joint session would also discuss the issue of elections, though ``we are not part of it''.

Meanwhile, militant groups have hardened their stand on elections and asked the people to stay away. They have also criticised the Hurriyat for holding talks with New Delhi.

Lashkar-e-Taiba, in a statement, has asked the Ansari-led Hurriyat not to `play into the hands of the Government.'

A spokesman of the outfit asked people to heed the poll boycott call given by hardline separatist leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

Al Umar Mujahideen, has also supported the boycott call. Warning the people to stay away from the election process, the outfit's chief commander said militants would intensify the attacks.

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