Separatist leader meets Mufti Mohammad Sayeed

A purported meeting between a senior separatist leader and People's Democratic Party supremo Mufti Mohammad Sayeed over the government formation has stoked a major controversy in Jammu and Kashmir.

According to local media the separatist leader expressed apprehensions over the possible alliance for the government formation in Jammu and Kashmir.

The issue sparked a major row as hard-line faction of Hurriyat led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani upped the ante asking for exposing the separatist leader who met Mufti.

Hours later, former moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Professor Abdul Gani Bhat issued a statement saying, "There is no harm in meeting anyone as agendas are not discussed individually."

"Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has been my classfellow also. We used to study together at SP College, Aligarh Muslim University and are really good friends but we belong to two different ideologies. There is no harm in talking to anyone or meeting anyone. Agendas cannot be discussed individually. If it was just a meeting it could have nothing beyond a meeting," Bhat told a local news agency

However, he was quick to add that polls and the formation of the new government can in no way affect the veracity of Kashmir issue.

Though refuting to comment over naming the leader who met Mufti, he maintained that how could it be harmful if two people meet sans any formal agenda.

PDP chief spokesman Nayeem Akthar however said he has no knowledge of any meeting. "I am not in knowledge of this," he said.