Hurriyat (G) kickstarts anti-poll campaign

Pro-India parties pumping money to buy votes: Geelani

As mainstream parties gear up for upcoming Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Hurriyat Conference (G) has launched election boycott campaign in various areas of the Valley. 
The conglomerate has launched door- to-door anti-election campaign to make people aware about the impact of elections on the Kashmir issue. “I have directed my cadre across Kashmir to visit every household and appeal people to stay away from the election process,” said Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Shah Geelani. 
The Hurriyat (G) cadre has started to address people after congregational prayers in masjids and distribute anti-election material among them. The conglomerate which is a constituent of around 10 parties has cadre-base across Kashmir. Geelani’s own party, Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, has over 1500 members based in every area and village of the Valley. 
“I have asked the conglomerate’s leaders and activists to expedite the anti-election process which is aimed to dilute the Kashmir dispute. This is the only way to uphold sacrifices of Kashmiris who laid their lives for right to self-determination and carry the movement to its logical conclusion,” Geelani said. 
The Hurriyat (G) Chairman said due to his continuous house arrest he cannot directly participate in the anti-election process. He said “the so-called government has even denied us our basic right to undertake peaceful activities.”
“If mainstream parties can ask people to vote, we also have a right to appeal them to stay away from elections. Authorities are frustrated by our successful election boycott campaign during Parliament elections and that is why they have put restrictions on the separatist leadership. I will try to address public gatherings telephonically and through printed material,” he said.   
Geelani accused the mainstream parties of using money to buy votes. “The pro-India parties can to any extent to woo voters in the name of providing jobs, roads, power and water. They are pumping money to purchase votes,” he said. 
Elaborating he said, “many pro-India parties including Bharitiya Janata Party are gradually making inroads in Jammu and Kashmir.”
“While parties like National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party, Congress propagate India’s anti-Kashmir polices, BJP is leaving no stone unturned to implement its communal agenda,” he said. 
For the first time after announcing its Kashmir poll plan, the BJP is holding a workers convention summer capital here. BJP has set its focus on six Assembly seats, including Geelani’s hometown Sopore, in Kashmir. Other mainstream parties have also geared up their activities to woo voters in the upcoming Assembly election scheduled to be held last months of the year. 
“People should remain cautions from lucrative offers by the mainstream parties. These parties are all offshoots of India’s forcible control of Kashmir and people should not get swayed from their lucrative offers in lieu of votes. People must understand that these parties seek votes in the name of development and then project it as referendum in favour of India to hoodwink international community,” he said. “Elections cannot be substitute to right to self-determination of Kashmiris. I hope people will repeat history by making the election boycott campaign a success,” Geelani added.

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