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| BJP top brass miffed over party ministers maintaining silence | | Passport for Geelani | | GOI may take tough stand, likely to reject Hurriyat hawks plea for travel documents
Early Times Report
srinagar, May 20: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its coalition partner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in JK are heading towards one more showdown over Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Shah Geelani seeking passport to visit Saudia Arabia to see his ailing daughter.
The PDP president Mehbooba Mufti wants a passport issued to Geelani but the BJP is opposing the demand of the veteran separatist leader. Besides Mehbooba, senior PDP leader and MP Tariq Hamid Karra has also come out in support of a passport to Geelani.
Sources told Early Times on Wednesday that PDP is trying its best to exert pressure over the Central Government to issue a passport to Geelani and has put the ball in New Delhi's court. "The BJP leaders in New Delhi are against the passport being issued to Geelani as they believe that he doesn't deserve the passport as he is involved in anti-India activities and has openly claimed that he is not an Indian," said a source.
He said that JK Government releasing the separatist Masrat Alam Bhat and he then raised Pakistan flags and pro-Pak slogans during Geelani's rally in Srinagar had embarrassed the party top brass and they don't want similar scene to be repeated once again. "Most BJP leaders in Delhi believe that central government should put its foot down and make it clear to PDP that it cannot dictate terms and plead the cause of separatists," the source added.
He said there are bleak possibilities about Central Government giving in to PDP's demand. "BJP is a national party and it's running the country. We cannot go against the national interests and wishes of our country men who are not in favour of passport being issued to Geelani," said a senior BJP leader.
He said that as it's the performance of BJP ministers is not up to the mark and they are under scanner for failing to handle the situation at their own level. "It's unfortunate that BJP leaders in JK have no say in the government and they are acting as second fiddles," he added.
The central leadership this time wants the state unit of BJP to act and make it clear to its coalition partner that it cannot get away with everything. "It's strange that none of the BJP ministers in JK have issued any statement over the issue. They are just acting as mute spectators and seem to be in no mood to annoy their coalition ally," the leader added.
On the other hand PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday in a bid to put some more pressure on its coalition partner BJP while talking to the reporters in Srinagar said, "My personal opinion is that Geelani should be given the passport on humanitarian grounds."
She didn't claim that it's her party's stand and described it as her "personal opinion."
The BJP Member Parliament Shamsher Singh Manhas told reporters that first Geelani should make his "nationality public," then only GoI would consider his plea for the passport.
The BJP insiders revealed that party has to turn down the PDP's demand this time around in wake of the forthcoming assembly elections in Bihar. "If Geelani gets the passport BJP would have to pay a heavy price in Bihar elections," the insiders added. |
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