Participation in polls damaging for movement: Geelani

Asks students to carry out poll boycott campaign in their localities

Calling all the pro-India election contesting parties as birds of same feather, Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman, Syed Ali Geelani Friday urged the people not to be carried away by their ‘theatrical rhetoric’ and ensure complete boycott of polls.
“Development and change of faces are lame excuses and in no case can justify the participation in the elections. Polls and freedom movement are quite different and casting vote will prove detrimental to the movement and amounts to treason and betrayal with our precious sacrifices and resistance,” Geelani said, adding that “We will never barter our cherished movement, which we have nurtured with our martyrs’ blood and other sacrifices, for the so-called development and change.”
“All pro-India parties follow the same political policy. Despite their tall claims as saviours of Article 370 or supporters for self-rule, change and development, there is no justification to cast votes. We have presented enormous sacrifices and our motive is self-determination and that will definitely change the scenario in our state,” Geelani said, adding that “Pro-India politicians are killers and have sold out state’s authority, sovereignty and precious sacrifices for power. They are predators of national pride and honour. Freedom struggle is a sacred movement for people of Jammu and Kashmir. It is obligatory for every one of us to be loyal to it. We should feel duty bound to safeguard the sacrifices of our martyrs. Our first and foremost obligation is that we should boycott the elections.”
“Keep your sprits high. Let all of us play our role for freedom struggle as it is prime part of our faith and stay away from elections,” Geelani told people, urging the students of schools, colleges, universities and Darul Ulooms, to carry out door to door election boycott campaign in their respective areas.

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