What is Hurriyat Conference and why is the Center planning to ban both its factions?

The Central Government is considering a ban on both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference under UAPA, thereby facilitating government agencies to arrest any office bearer in connection with the Hurriyat and block the flow of funds. 

Amid this backdrop, the supporters of Syed Ali Shah Geelani removed the signboard of the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (TeH) from his residence-cum-office in Srinagar while incarcerated leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq's faction of the Hurriyat would continue representing people’s aspirations.

The move came at a time when the political process in the valley began to restart since the abrogation of Article 370. 

Why Centre is planning to ban Hurriyat?

The NIA in its charge sheets claimed that the fee collected from aspirants for the allotment of medical and engineering seats in Pakistani colleges was diverted for terror activities in J&K, thereby becoming a sufficient ground for banning Hurriyat under Section 3 (1) of the UAPA. 

“This shows a triangular nexus wherein the terrorists, the Hurriyat and the Pakistani establishment are the three verticals, and they are ostensibly patronising the Kashmiri students to prepare a generation of doctors and technocrats in Kashmir who will have leanings towards Pakistan,” the NIA said in its charge sheet.

As per a Hurriyat spokesman, Mirwaiz provided recommendation letters to students on-demand to help them get admitted to the colleges and universities in Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Turkey and elsewhere.

While refuting the allegations, the Hurriyat spokesman said, "We reject and denounce the propaganda. This is completely unfounded and can be verified from those students or parents whom we have recommended, with many of them from economically weak sections."

About Hurriyat Conference

Foundation of APHC

Post his father's assassination, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq became the chairman of the J&K Awami Action Committee (J&KAAC) and the head priest of Kashmir.

On 27 December 1992, he called a meeting of religious, social and political organisations at Mirwaiz Manzil to lay the foundation of a broad alliance of Kashmiri parties to oppose Indian rule in J&K. 

On 31 July 1993, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) was born with Mirwaiz Umar Farooq as its first chairman.

The Hurriyat Constitution

The separatist group describes itself as a union of political, social and religious parties of J&K. The key highlights of the Constitution are as follows:

1- Undertaking a peaceful struggle to secure the right to self-determination, which includes the right to independence, for the people of Jammu and Kashmir per the UN Charter and the resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council.

2- Seeking an alternative negotiated settlement of the Kashmir dispute amongst all the three parties-- India, Pakistan and the people of J&K-- under the aegis of the UN or any other friendly country, subject to the will of the people.

3- Presenting the ongoing struggle before the nations and the governments of the world in its proper perspective, as being a struggle directed against the forcible and fraudulent occupation of the state by India.

APHC Executive Council

The Executive Council of All Parties Hurriyat Conference had seven members from seven executive parties-- Syed Ali Shah Geelani of Jamat-e-Islami, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq of Awami Action Committee, Sheikh Abdul Aziz of People’s League, Moulvi Abbas Ansari of Ittihad-ul-Muslimeen, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat of Muslim Conference, Yasin Malik of JKLF, and Abdul Gani Lone of People’s Conference.

Of these, two were killed. Sheikh Aziz was killed in police firing in Baramulla in August 2008 while Abdul Gani Lone was killed by militants in May 2002.

APHC Working Committee

The Hurriyat Conference comprised of a 21-member working committee, including seven members of the executive council and two members from each of the parties associated with Hurriyat. 

APHC General Council

The APHC General Council comprised 23 members which included traders’ bodies, employee unions, and social organisations. Unlike Executive Council, the membership of the General Council could be extended. 

Observer Status

The  Hurriyat enjoys observer status at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), an organization that safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony among various people of the world. 

A disparate conglomerate of parties

The Hurriyat was an extension of the disparate conglomerate of parties that contested Assembly polls against a National Conference-Congress Alliance in 1987. The election was alleged to have been conducted unfairly. 

The general ideology of the conglomerate was that Jammu and Kashmir were under India's occupation and the wishes and aspirations of the people of the state should be ascertained for a final resolution of the dispute. 

It brought two strong ideologies together-- those who sought independence from both India and Pakistan and those who wanted to merge J&K with Pakistan. 

It is to be noted that most of the groups that were a part of Hurriyat were either directly or indirectly linked to the militant outfit. The group represented the political face of the militant movement and claimed to represent the true wishes and aspirations of the people. 

Split of Hurriyat (2003)

Being a disparate conglomerate of parties, disagreements were a common thing in APHC. On the questions of future strategies, the role of militancy and dialogue, the Hurriyat Conference was split in September 2003. 

One faction of the Hurriyat which was led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani was adamant that the talks with New Delhi could only proceed if the Centre accepts that J&K was in dispute, while the other faction led by Mirwaiz wanted talks. 

On 7 September 2003, the Geelani faction was removed by the then Hurriyat Chairman Abbas Ansari and Masarat Alam was named as the interim chief. 

The seven-member executive council was also suspended and a five-member committee was set up to review the Hurriyat constitution. 

Post his removal from Hurriyat, Geelani left Jamaat-e-Islami and formed Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir in August 2004.

In 2004, the Mirwaiz faction of the Hurriyat entered into a dialogue with Vajpayee Government and a visit to Pakistan was facilitated. 

Following this, several leaders of the Mirwaiz faction, along with Yasin Malik, who parted his ways from Hurriyat, visited Pakistan via the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road in June 2005 to hold talks with Muzaffarabad-based Kashmiri separatist leaders and the Pakistan establishment. 

Split of Hurriyat (2014)

The Mirwaiz faction split in 2014 when four of its leaders left-- Democratic Freedom Party president Shabir Ahmad Shah, National Front chairman Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Mahaz-e-Azadi chief Mohammad Azam Inqlabi and Islamic Political Party chief Mohammad Yousuf Naqash. 

At present, both the factions of the Hurriyat are inactive as the hard-line faction leader Ashraf Sehrai died in custody while the moderate leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is incarcerated. 

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