KL Report
SRINAGAR
Stating that Hurriyat (G) Chairman Syed Ali Geelani has ‘strong’ foothold in Valley and people here follow his calls, National Conference senior leader Ali Mohammad Sagar Wednesday claimed that polls have no link with the Kashmir issue.
Talking to a local news agency, KNS, while appealing Geelani to halt his poll boycott campaign, said that Kashmir is the issue between India and Pakistan and that coming elections have no ‘direct bearing’ on it. “Elections are for the day to day issues of common people, it cannot affect even a single dimension of Kashmir Issue.”
When asked about the recent release of Geelani from continuous house confinement, Sagar said that government never had besieged Geelani and only restrictions were imposed on him on the grounds of law and order.
Sagar further mentioned that the poll boycott call being given by Geelani can only affect Srinagar and that other districts vote in good numbers. “You see how people voted in Panchayat elections in the recent past; the reality is that only Srinagar follows the boycott call.”
Asking Geelani to rethink about the poll boycott campaign, Sagar said that “he (Geelani) is a leader of people and that we have to accept even if the truth is sour. We know he has a following and we should accept this reality but he (Geelani) should think for one more time about the decision of poll boycott.” Sagar added that even if boycott call turns successful still elections will be conducted. “Why then he is asking people to refrain from casting votes?”
