Geelani to attend India Today conclave

Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani will attend Saturday’s India Today conclave where he will share the stage with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, a spokesman of his Hurriyat group said Tuesday.

Geelani had earlier said he would not share the stage with India’s national security advisor Shivshankar Menon unless his basic demands were met by the central government.

The spokesman told IANS that the octogenarian leader decided to attend the conclave after the local civil society asked Geelani “not to miss this opportunity to highlight the fate of the people of Kashmir at a conclave being attended by influential and powerful members of the Indian society”.

This year’s theme for the conclave is ‘The Changing Balance of Power’.