Srinagar, June 28: Fire-brand Jamaat-e-Islami leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani today renewed his demand for expulsion of peoples conference from the Hurriyat Conference and served an ultimatum on the separatist amalgam to do so within a week or face the formation of an alternative to it . "Participants in the September 2002 assembly elections and those who did not launch campaign against the polls are the biggest traitors," Geelani said winding up a three-hour meeting of like-minded separatist leaders at his Hyderpora residence here this evening. He rejected the contention of Hurriyat chairman Abdul Gani Bhat that those who deserted Hurriyat would be traitors. He said "Now the ball is in the court of Hurriyat. If it expels peoples conference at this moment, Hurriyat wins the first round. We are ready to extend our support to Hurriyat afresh."
However, he said the final decision regarding formation of an alternative to the Hurriyat would be taken within four days and the announcement regarding its formation would be made at a meet-the-people campaign being launched by him at Sopore on July 4, he said.
Bureau Report