Chairman of the Hurriyat (M) faction Mirwaiz Umar Farooq today said that Hurriyat believed in democracy but not the one prevailing in Kashmir. He also said that the separatists were also not against elections but no such exercise could be held under an all-encompassing military control in the state. “Hurriyat supports democracy. But we can’t support the democracy that is practised in Kashmir,” Mirwaiz said while addressing the Friday congregation at Srinagar’s central Grand Mosque. “We also are not against elections. “Elections were meaningless in presence of draconian laws like AFSPA, mass arrests of resistance leaders and the killings of youth”.
However, he clarified that the Hurriyat will not take part in the polls for government formation. “We will only participate in elections for right to self-determination as that will pave way for real democracy,” he said.
Hurriyat has already boycotted the ensuing Panchayat polls in the state and called for a shutdown on November 17. Municipal Council elections which were held earlier were similarly boycotted by the separatists. There was little over 4 percent participation in them. Most candidates were either elected unopposed or by a fewer votes. In Baramulla, one person won by casting his own vote.
“The local or state elections held will not solve our problem,” Mirwaiz said. “Resolution of Kashmir will”.
