Separatists call for shutdown on polling days

SRINAGAR : Setting the tone for confrontation, the separatists on Wednesday called for a strike on municipal poll days in Jammu and Kashmir.

Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik, in a statement has asked people to observe complete shutdown on October 8 to protest the commencement of urban local body and panchayat “elections drama being foisted upon them”.

The four-phase municipal polls for 72 municipal committees, six municipal councils and two municipal corporations will start from October 8 and will continue till October 16.

Coming out with the slogan ‘No to all election, only right of self determination’, the separatist leadership asked people to observe subsequent protest shutdown in their own respective areas as per the poll schedule on October 10, 13 and 16 respectively.

“As additional forces are being brought into Jammu and Kashmir for conducting this election drama, it is clear that this farce is another attempt at coercion and rulers want to shove it down people’s throat by force,” they said.

Along with a boycott call from separatists, the state’s two major political parties, National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party, have also abstained from participating in the elections citing “atmosphere of fear” and “assault on the special constitutional position (Article 35A)” of Jammu and Kashmir.

Militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen has issued a strong warning to those planning to participate in the polls, asking them to get shrouds along with the election forms.

The decision of going ahead with the polls is being seen as part of the Centre’s efforts to turn the tide in state where local militant recruitment and violence have escalated since Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani’s killing in July 2016.“It conveys that even if people of Kashmir are against it and even if pro India regional parties boycott it, government of India is the command and control in Kashmir and has the power and force to conduct them without caring about its credibility or effectiveness ,” separatists said.