Status Quo on Kashmir favours Mainstream: Bilal Gani Lone
Bilal Gani Lone is the senior pro-freedom leader of Jammu & Kashmir. Chairman Peoples Conference and Hurriyat Conference (M) executive member, Bilal Gani Lone is viewed as the emerging face of pro-freedom thought in the state of Jammu & Kashmir.
In an exclusive interview with the Kashmir Scenario, Bilal Gani Lone Talks to Rameez Makhdoomi& Kaiser A.Mir.
How did you happen to join pro-freedom politics?
I have joined pro-freedom politics on account of my father’s assassination as he was my role model and ideal. The sprit for achieving freedom for the nation and other revolutionary concepts I imbibed from my father. I was doing my business but after tragic assassination of my father I decided to join pro-freedom politics so as to give message to killer that we are not afraid of him. The circumstances forced me to join politics.
We are from a normal Kashmiri family. My father left a simple & moral background for us and we are always attached to ground zero. We are still the agriculturalists that we used to be.
Sometime back one of your interviews created ripples in which you were quoted as saying that separatists are getting money from Pakistan?
The simple crux of my viewpoint is that you need finance to run politics be it mainstream or pro-freedom politics. No movement can run without finance. But doing politics for the sake of money and finance is “Haraam”.
How do you view the damning disclosures made by wikileaks about Hurriyat (M)?
Wikileaks is not a gospel truth. It is a partly true and partly false because these leaks are based on conversations and individual interpretations and cannot be relied upon.
It is said that pro-freedom political parties like Hurriyat are out of colour during peace times and get activated only during civil unrests. What is your take on this?
The resistance movements witness their own ups and downs. The mainstream is for power politics. The pro-freedom camp is representing sentiments while they (Mainstream) exploit the sentiment and it is the pro-freedom amalgam that stands for resolutions. In addition one has to bear in mind that the circumstances are also made difficult by authorities for pro-freedom politicians.
Mirwaiz Umer Farooq has some time back stressed the need for Hurriyat Conference to address the day to day problems of masses. How do you view this?
This vision is direly needed and it is “better late than never” as we need to be much more pro-active and take the Hurriyat conference to grassroots. If we ask masses to stay away from mainstream politicians than we have to draw some sought of mechanism to help masses address their day to day problems.
The people are facing lot of hardships as the institutions are functioning like mafia wherein the masses have no say and might is right has become the order of day.
Some analysts stated that Hurriyat (M) was not able to get desired results from talks with center. What is your taken on this?
I do not understand whom you call analysts. The analysts herein run multinational companies outside Kashmir and give analysis through their cosy chambers. We have to bear in mind that nothing can be solved without dialogue. Every conflict on world has been solved through dialogue.
Besides, dialogue is a complicated process and you should not expect that dispute like Kashmir would be solved in one sitting. If anybody has better way other than dialogue to solve Kashmir he should take the lead we are ready to follow.
My personal belief is that we should engage for the resolution of Kashmir dispute and safeguard our younger generation. We have already sacrificed 1.25 lakh people for achieving freedom and this sacrifice is a big fixed deposit for our sacred movement.
Does lack of unity among pro-freedom leadership undermines it in a dialogue process?
The government makes it alibi sometimes. But it is quiet illogical and has nothing to do with a dialogue process. We live in a society wherein different political opinions are functional. At the macroscopic level, all the pro-freedom parties and leaders stand united as we all believe in resolution of ‘Kashmir Dispute’ and an end to status quo.
The status quo on Kashmir greatly favours the mainstream parties and politicians.
How do you perceive the response of current Central Government towards dialogue process?
The response towards dialogue process in place for Kashmir is always dictated by the system and not by a particular government. It is the matter of New Delhi`s policy only not the government be it the government of Congress or BJP or any other government.
How do you view the impact of degraded situation in Pakistan from several years on the Kashmir issue?
We need to bear in mind that Pakistan is a big thing as they are a state in themselves. But, I wish for a stronger Pakistan as it is only the nuclear power in world. The kashmiri people and leadership if develop the proper strength and character can achieve the desired results.
What is your take on prevailing human rights situation?
The current human rights situation continues to remain grim. The recent killings of Rafiabad and Uri youth prove this veracity. Actually, the trooper on ground has developed his own vested interests and wants to draw benefits from continuing bloodshed. The system is quiet barbaric as it has only futile enquires and commissions to offer.
The mainstream parties & politicians only shed crocodile tears .If they are so much concerned why do not they leave the system and confront it openly.
Do you believe it is time for pro-freedom camp to ponder over contesting elections?
No, I do not think so. Elections are too small and petty reality for us as they are held after every five or six years for governance purpose. We the pro-freedom parties stand for bigger realities such as the resolution of Kashmir Dispute.
What is the way ahead according to you to solve Kashmir dispute?
I do not have any road map. But, the concrete solution can only be achieved through an effective participation of the main party i.e Kashmiris and the other two big players India and Pakistan. Only trilateral involvement can solve this dispute and no bilateral involvement would work.
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