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5 Kashmir militants to join BJP

Five Kashmir militant leaders, who had once picked up the gun in the valley against the Indian authorities, are now considering joining the Bharatiya Janata Party, saying the party alone could safeguard the Muslims's interests.

The militants, belong to the once-dreaded JK Ikhwan and operate in the Anantnag district of south Kashmir, have already met some BJP leaders. They also hope to contest the general election in the valley on a BJP ticket.

Hilal Hyder, leader of the militant outfit which is now supporting security forces against the pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahideen and similar terrorist groups, said the present bloodshed in the valley was a result of the ''wrong policies of the National Conference over the years''.

He said Kashmiris were always in a ''double mind'' and the Conference was fooling people in the name of autonomy. ''We are fighting militancy and we want such a group which can give Kashmiris a feeling that they are Indians and have nothing to do with Pakistan.''

The JK Ikhwan, along with another renegade militant outfit, the Ikhwan-ul-Muslimoon headed by Kuka Parrey, were instrumental in the smooth conduct of parliamentary and assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. Their threat and sway over the area stonewalled all attempts by the Hizbul Mujahideen and other pro-Pakistan outfits to torpedo the polls. Kuka Parrey is now an Independent legislator in the state assembly.

Hilal Hyder, whose real name is Liaqat Ali, criticised the NC policy of ''marginalising'' renegade militants who had helped it conduct and win elections in the state. ''By neutralising the Ikhwan, which force is (Chief Minister) Dr Farooq Abdullah going to deploy in militancy-affected areas?''

Several renegade militants have blamed Dr Abdullah for marginalising them. Some have even threatened that they might return to militancy if they were forced to do so.

Hilal said the BJP alone would help Kashmiris achieve the desired goal. ''Our objectives are similar,'' he added.

The other militants who plan to join the BJP are Nanaji, supreme commander of the JK Ikhwan, Naseer Hamid, Nisar Ahmad and Dada Bashir. The five attended the National Muslim Youth Conference organised by the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha in New Delhi recently.

BJP leader and former J and K governor Jagmohan also attended the conference. Welcoming the five militants, he said that it was good that misguided youth were returning to the national mainstream.

According to Dada Bashir, another renegade militant who is a writer and artist, the JK Awami Conference, the political wing of the JK Ikhwan, would merge with the BJP once the decision was endorsed. Bashir had contested the assembly election in the state from Anantnag, but lost by 300 votes against NC candidate Safdar Baig.

The state has six parliamentary seats out of which two (one in Udhampur in Jammu region and one in Ladakh) are held by the BJP.

The militant leaders feel the BJP's policy on Ayodhya and Article 370 had not come in the way of the proposed merger.

UNI

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