Srinagar, April 20 (Bashir Assad): In what can be termed a significant development Hurriyat Conference (M) suspended the former chairman of the conglomerate and the president of Ithad-ul-Muslimeen, Moulana Abbas Ansari, for meeting the interlocutors appointed by New Delhi.
Earlier in the day the Interlocutors said that they had met the senior Hurriyat Conference (M) leader and the former chairman of the conglomerate Moulvi Abbas Ansari. “We called on him and discussed various issues,” the interlocutors told reporters here.
When contacted Chief Spokesperson of the conglomerate Professor Abdul Gani Bhat confirmed that Ansari has been suspended by the Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq.
In exercise of his discretionary powers, the Chairman has suspended Moulvi Abbas Ansari. In reply to a quiry Professor Bhat said that no meeting was convened as it was the prerogative of Chairman to suspend and he has exercised his discretionar powers. “ The chairman can refer it to the executive of the conglomerate latter on for approval, so there was no need to convene a meeting.
Meanwhile, the centre’s interlocutors on Jammu and Kashmir Wednesday reiterated their resolve to recommend restoration of autonomy to the state guaranteed under the article 370 of the Indian Constitution.
“We favour a political solution that upholds and fine-tunes the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 which means giving additional powers to the state so it can assert its independent character”, said Dileep Padgaonkar, the head of the 3-member Interlocutors.
“For decades, India has been represented (in Kashmir) by just the soldier on the road. That has to change,” he said The panel is likely to propose that the state’s governor and chief minister be given the titles of president and prime minister, respectively (as was the case before 1953).
The interlocutors, who include academic Radha Kumar and former central information commissioner MM Ansari, want greater devolution of power to the state legislature and elected local bodies. They also favour more confidence- building measures to create an atmosphere for talks with separatists, and a continuation of the dialogue with Pakistan.
While giving the state more political autonomy, the interlocutors want deeper economic linkages between the state and the rest of the country. They are likely to propose that J&K be declared a free economic zone and that traditional routes of trade and commerce, including roads to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, be reopened.
“Give people an opportunity to invest in the state. Let the state have its own tariff laws and tax laws,” Padgaonkar said.