Separatists cool to BJP’s plan
The two frontline separatist bodies in Kashmir — Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference and Mirwaiz Umer Farooq’s moderate wing — are strangely cold to the BJP’s plan to hoist the tricolour in Srinagar’s Lal Chowk on Republic Day.

Updated on Jan 25, 2011 01:15 AM IST
Hindustan Times | HT Correspondent, Srinagar
The two frontline separatist bodies in Kashmir — Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference and Mirwaiz Umer Farooq’s moderate wing — are strangely cold to the BJP’s plan to hoist the tricolour in Srinagar’s Lal Chowk on Republic Day.
This has left Jammu & Kashmir Liberation Front chief Yasin Malik as the only one to dare the BJP with a counter-march to Lal Chowk.
“Hoisting a flag in Lal Chowk will not make any difference. It will not change the reality of Kashmir. Flag-hoisting happens all over the Valley,” said Ayaz Akbar, spokesman for the hardline Hurriyat Conference, said.