Srinagar: Terming election boycott as a democratic right of people, JKLF chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik on Friday said that casting or boycotting vote is a democratic right of every human being but when election process is facilitated and pro-boycott people are “terrorized, raided, arrested and put in jails,” this process is reduced to merely a military operation.
In a statement issued here, he said that on one hand “so-called rulers” facilitate campaigning for elections but on other hand military and police might is used to curb and suppress the voices of those who want to boycott these elections and use their democratic right to boycott.
“This is like trampling democracy in the name of democracy,” asserted Yasin Malik.
He said that if “so-called rulers” really believe in democracy, battle of ideas and freedom of speech and choice, they should refrain from “terrorizing” pro-boycott people and allow resistance camp to run a boycott campaign in a peaceful way.
Terming participation in election process and voting as disrespecting sacrifices, JKLF chairman said that elections for assemblies and Indian parliament have been used to hoodwink international opinion on Kashmir. “This process is started in the name of democracy, progress and necessity but after its completion Indian state and their Kashmiri stooges term this as a referendum in favor of illegal occupation and thus an excuse to negate our basic democratic right of self determination and freedom.”
He said that from 1947 people of Jammu Kashmir have sacrificed Lakhs for achieving birth right of freedom and last seven months have witnessed an upsurge in this.
“How can we take part in elections for those assemblies and parliaments and vote for those tyrants and oppressors who facilitated the killings of hundreds of our loved ones and are responsible for blinding and maiming thousands and are continuously denying us our birth right of freedom,” Malik questioned?
Appealing people to boycott upcoming by-elections for Indian parliament, Malik said that it is our moral duty to safeguard our sacrifices and keep ourselves away from voting.
He said that election boycott campaign announced by united resistance leadership should be followed in letter and spirit and every Kashmiri should refrain from participating in the “sham” process that is detrimental to our just cause and legitimizing “illegal occupation”.
