PARTICIPATION IN ELECTORAL PROCESS DETRIMENTAL FOR FREEDOM MOVEMENT: SHAHSrinagar, Dec 18 (KNS): Reiterating his stand on elections conducted in the State,, Hurriyat Conference Jammu Kashmir (HCJK) leader and chairman Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) Shabir Ahmad Shah Thursday said the pro-freedom leadership and the people of Jammu and Kashmir are of the view that till Kashmir issue is resolved, any participation in electoral activity is detrimental for the ongoing freedom movement.Shah, who was arrested during the election drama, after his release, in a statement to press said, “We don’t believe in the so-called elections that were conducted forcibly and under the shadow of gun. Keeping in view the highhandedness of Army and police during the period, arrest of pro-freedom leadership, political activists, youth and students, we categorically reject any administration/government that comes to fore as a result of these sham elections.”Criticizing the hype created by Indian leaders over the participation of ‘some people’ in these polls, Shabir Ahmad Shah said that after every election in the State, they (Indian leaders) declare that by participating in polls, the people of Kashmir have rejected the resistance leadership and that they have acknowledged that their future lies with India.“If Indian leaders and their Prime Minister Narendra Modi are so sure about people’s support, why are they scared of conducting referendum in the State? Let everyone see whom the people of Kashmir will give their mandate,” he said.Shah questioned, “When India doesn’t shy away from seeking votes from Kashmiris in the name of progressand development, why they are hesitant in letting people decide their future. The so-called champions ofdemocracy are making huge claims of ‘freedom of expression’, we want to tell them as to why they felt the need of 8 lakh forces and police besides putting resistance leadership, political activists and youth behind bars, in conducting the elections in the State. They should tell us where in this world are opposition locked in jails during elections. We were prevented from reaching out to people to express our viewpoint otherwise the pro-India leaders would have known their worth.”HCJK leader said that pro-India politicians exploited the people in the name of Kashmir issue and development. He said even these politicians are aware that Kashmiri nation have sacrificed more than 6 lakh lives since last 67 years for a ‘great cause’ without anycompromise. Shah said the war of words between the pro-India parties during elections is just to mislead thepeople while as the main objective of all these parties is to fill their vote bank and there is not an iota of difference between them as “they all work on the directions of New Delhi and its agencies.”Commenting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent statement, Democratic Freedom Party chairman said, “By wearing Dhoti in Jammu and Pheran in Kashmir, the realities will not change. Though, he (Modi) made big claims of democracy and humanity but lacks the courage of facing the truth. Kashmir issue is on the top agenda of United Nations and the resolutions passed there in Security Council have been signed by all countries of the world including India and Pakistan but unfortunately, it is dueto India’s stubbornness that this issue is lingering. India reneged from its promises kept with the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”“We are the well-wishers of the people of India and we only want to break the system by which made us slaves. We want to break the chains of slavery with which India has tied us as no nation can tolerate the life of subjugation. This is not any border or a bilateral issue which can be settled through ‘give and take’ method but is the same indigenous struggle which India launched against the then British Empire. We are in favour of resolving this long pending dispute according to the UN resolutions or through the tripartite dialogue between all the stakeholders – India,Pakistan and Kashmir,” he added.
Posted on: Thu, 18 Dec 2014 15:29:44 +0000