SRINAGAR: Differences have surfaced in the separatist camp over the inclusion of Sajjad Lone of the Peoples Conference in the newly-formed coordination committee spearheading the agitation in Kashmir.

Sajjad Lone, chairman of Peoples Conference faction, was shown the door from the Hurriyat Conference after he developed differences with Mirwaiz Umar Farooq when he visited the home of slain militant who was believed to have assassinated his father Abdul Gani Lone in 2002.

Sajjad Lones party had also split on this issue and his brother Bilal Gani Lone led the breakaway faction and became the member of the power executive council of Hurriyat.

The hardline Hurriyat faction, led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, had accused Sajjad Lone of fielding proxy candidates in 2002 assembly elections. They are against his inclusion in the coordination committee, an apex body of separatists, traders, fruit growers and other lawyers.

However, Lone surprised everyone on Wednesday when he joined the meeting of coordination committee to chalk out the future programme of the agitation.

"Sajjad Lones presence was something we were not expecting. We also raised our concern in the forum," said a senior leader of Hurriyat.

Sajjad Lone played down the opposition by some parties to his inclusion. "Everyone was very cordial with the meeting. We hugged with each other and exchanged greetings. There was no bitterness," he said.

Mirwaiz said there was nothing alarming in the meeting. "There are several factions of Peoples Conference in the committee. There was nothing unusual," he said.

Insiders say some separatist leaders outside the ambit of Hurriyat however supported him and silenced his detractors in the meeting.
Source : DNA