Srinagar, Apr 27: A day after Peoples Democratic Party invited the separatists to a joint platform for devising a common minimum programme for the resolution of the Kashmir issue, the pro-freedom leaders on Tuesday asked the PDP MLAs to resign from the Assembly and join freedom struggle “if they were sincere.”
The Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, said, “Our basic demand is right to self determination and if they believe in it, they should resign from assembly and join the struggle.” He termed the PDP’s proposal just a vote-bank politics.
“The protest rallies organized by the PDP for resumption of dialogue between India and Pakistan are nothing but a drama aimed at gaining vote bank,” Geelani said at a public meeting in Shopian Tuesday.
Geelani said PDP is highlighting only the offshoots of the real problem of illegal occupation and denial of right to self-determination. “While chopping off the diseased branches, the party is actually strengthening its roots. These tactics are used to deceive the Kashmiri people,” he alleged.
The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman, Muhammad Yasin Malik, said, “They should resign from the assembly and then only we can talk to them. They are welcome
in our ranks and we will give them frontline role if they resign.”
The Hurriyat (M) chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that if PDP is sincere in its offer, “We welcome them.”
“But we know they do it for the sake of power. If they are sincere, they should resign from the Assembly and we will give them space in our ranks,” he added.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 27 Apr 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 27 Apr 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 28 Apr 2010 00:00:00 IST