Srinagar: Hurriyat Conference on August 23 appeared to be heading for a virtual split as the 25-party amalgam and its dominant constituent Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) locked horns over Peoples Conference's proxy participation in the Assembly polls.

JeI chief Nazir Ahmad Kashani sought clarification from Hurriyat chairman Maulana Mohammad Abbas Ansari about his reported statement that the amalgam did not care whether Jamaat resumed its participation in the conglomerate's activities.

Kashani in a letter to Ansari sought his views on the statement given to a private TV channel which quoted him as saying, "If Jamaat has to come, (let it) come. (If) they don't want to come, don't come. But we want to tell them that we will not review the decision on Peoples' Conference."

Ansari, however, said his comments were drawn out of context but stood firmly behind the amalgam's decision not to reopen or review the People's Conference controversy which nearly led to a split in the conglomerate.

"If Jamaat decides to attend the Hurriyat meetings and raises the issue (of People's Conference), we will inform them about the deliberations and the unanimous decision taken during the meetings called specifically to discuss the alleged proxy participation in Assembly polls."

"We will not, however, reopen or review the decision taken in this regard as Jamaat-e-Islami was duly represented in those meetings and was part of the decisions taken at that time," Ansari said.

PTI