Prof. Abdul Gani Bhat, a prominent former senior leader of the separatist Hurriyat Conference and influential academician, passed away on Wednesday evening at the age of 90. He breathed his last at his family residence in Botingoo, near Sopore in northwest Kashmir, following a period of ailing health. His demise marks the end of a significant chapter in Kashmir’s intricate political history.

Born in 1935 in Botingoo, Bhat transitioned from a distinguished academic career to a leading role in separatist politics. He studied at Sri Pratap College, Srinagar, earning degrees in Persian, Economics, and Political Science, and later obtained a postgraduate degree in Persian and a law degree from Aligarh Muslim University.

For over two decades, Bhat taught Persian at Government Degree College, Poonch, until his dismissal in 1986. The termination, ordered by the then Jammu and Kashmir Governor Jagmohan Malhotra, was on "security grounds" due to his increasing political activities.

Bhat formally entered active politics in 1986, co-founding the Muslim United Front (MUF), which controversially contested the 1987 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, widely criticized for alleged rigging. The MUF’s defeat led to Bhat’s arrest and several months of imprisonment.

He later played a key role in reviving the Muslim Conference, Jammu and Kashmir (MCJK), one of the region’s oldest political parties, eventually banned in 2019 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. In 1993, Bhat became a founding member of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) and served as its chairman, guiding the organization through critical phases.

Bhat engaged in efforts to resolve the Kashmir issue, notably joining an APHC delegation in 2004 to meet with then Prime Ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh. Following the unrest in 2016–2017, he distanced himself from street protests, criticizing the Hurriyat’s shutdown calendars and advocating diplomatic, alternative conflict-resolution strategies. This stance reportedly led to disagreements and his removal as MCJK president in 2017 after a contentious meeting with the Centre’s interlocutor, Dineshwar Sharma.

Tributes to Bhat flowed from across Kashmir. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, current Hurriyat Conference chairman and chief Muslim cleric, expressed grief on 'X', calling Bhat an “affectionate elder, dear friend, and colleague” and a “sincere and visionary leader”, while praying for his soul.

Similarly, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah mourned Bhat as a “senior Kashmiri political leader & academician”. He acknowledged their differing ideologies but remembered Bhat as a “very civil person” who had the courage to pursue dialogue when many endorsed violence, citing his meetings with PM Vajpayee and Deputy PM Advani.

Bhat’s passing was overshadowed by controversy over his funeral arrangements. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was reportedly placed under house arrest late Wednesday night, preventing his attendance at the funeral prayer. Bhat’s family alleged that authorities pressured them to conduct the last rites immediately, warning that had they insisted on the original Thursday schedule, only ten individuals would have been permitted to attend.

Mirwaiz Umar expressed anguish on 'X':

"It pains me beyond words that the authorities compelled the family of Prof. Sahab to conclude his janazah hurriedly. I have been locked inside my home, denied the right to walk with him in his final journey."

He highlighted his 35-year friendship and guidance with Bhat and lamented the cruelty of being deprived of paying his last respects. As of this report, authorities have not responded to these allegations.

Prof. Abdul Gani Bhat leaves behind a legacy of political activism, academic contribution, and advocacy for dialogue, marking him as a central figure in the complex history of Kashmir.