For the first time in Kashmir insurgency, a living serving head of a separatist group has made way for a successor.
Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, a constituent of the largest separatist grouping Hurriyat Conference (G), on Monday elected Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai as its acting chairman, replacing Syed Ali Geelani, who has been its chairman since its formation in 2004. Sehrai has been its general secretary.
This important development rekindled the debate on social media over who will succeed Geelani as the chairman of the Hurriyat Conference (G). Is Sehrai’s elevation a prelude to preparing him for the bigger role in future?
Geelani told the TeH’s highest decision-making body, Majlis-e-Shoora that merely holding a “position without practical contribution is injustice to not only the post but conscience as well”.
“Eight years of continuous house arrest and the restrictions on the interactions with my party colleagues has dented the functioning of the organisation… So, today, I willingly step down from the chairmanship and advice the shoora to arrange an alternative at the earliest,” a spokesman of the party, quoting Geelani, said.
He said Geelani told the shoora everybody is aware of the “hard times the entire pro-freedom camp has been facing”.
“Gagging the political environment, jailing the entire man force of the organization and judicial onslaught of our workers have left us with no other option than fight back with more will and vigour,” the spokesman said in a statement here.
The shoora then unanimously elected Sehrai as interim chairman till the party elections to be held later in the year.
Social media was abuzz with analyses over the development. Sameer Bhat, who is deputy opinion editor at Gulf News, wrote on his Facebook wall:
“This is significant in several ways: First and foremost, it means a change in leadership…after nearly 45 years of being omnipresent in Kashmir’s labyrinthine politics, the 88-year-old patriarch, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, has finally stepped aside. By clearly naming a successor, he has sought to avoid a void in leadership, and also ensured the continuation of his school of thought.”
A source in the TeH said the shoora meeting came as a surprise for many.
“The move hints at delegating responsibilities and Geelani has taken the first step,” he said.
Another source said that Sehrai, who often calls Geelani as his rehbar (mentor), has time and again made it clear and if at all he gets a chance to lead the Hurriyat (G), it would be “gunah-e-be’lazath (sin without pleasure)”.
However, Hurriyat Conference (G) spokesperson Ghulam Ahmed Gulzar said Geelani is the lifetime chairman of the Hurriyat.
“It would be premature to say who would be next chairman of Hurriyat after Geelani. These are organisational matters and there are set rules to be followed,” he said,
A TeH member, requesting anonymity, said the majority of the members favourSehrai as Geelani’s successor in Hurriyat.
“But a few may oppose as we believe in a democracy. There would be elections and votes will decide. But yes, trust and faith are two important factors for a leader and Sehrai has both,” he said.