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| Geelani campaigns for poll boycott | | |
Expectedly Syed Ali Shah Geelani,who heads hardliners among the separatists,has renewed his appeal to people to boycott the Assembly election,due in 2014.Soon after tasting freedom after prolonged house arrest Geelani got an opportunity for fulminating against India and all that India represents in Kashmir. What is intriguing is the decision of the Government to allow Geelani the freedom for movement and freedom for speaking to people during rallies and that too at a time when the security scenario in the state was fluid. It has been equally intriguing as to what vents had led the Government to impose restrictions on Geelani's movement.Well there does not seem any material difference between the political and security situation that existed in March when the senior separatist leader was placed under house arrest and the one that exists right now.If there has been no material change in the political atmosphere in Kashmir what had prompted or motivated the Government to lift restrictions on his movement ? This question has assumed significance following Geelani's reference to the Government's decision to allow him freedom of movement and speech.He has said,during the Sopore rally,that a wrong impression hs been allowed to gain ground by some vested interests who say that lifting of curbs on Geelani was to help a particular party in the next Assembly election.He has set at rest such speculation.But a former Chairman of APHC,Molvi Abbas Ansari,has given credence to rumours when he said that lifting of ban on Geelani was aimed at helping the Government to win the Assembly election.
Geelani utilized his freedom for launching what political observers call anti-poll campaign.And this campaign he launched at his first rally at Sopore, where from he had contested Assembly election in the past and won the seat till 1987. He spent most of his time on his appeal to people to boycott the elections in order to respect the sacrifices rendered by people in trying to secure a place of respect and dignity for all Kashmiris. As he received a heroe's welcome in Sopore he fully utilized the opportunity for castigating the Government of India for suppression of people in Kashmir.He urged people to boycott the elections which could help "us" in taking the ongoing struggle against the Indian occupation to its logical conclusion.In a bid to convince people that all mainstream political parties were opposed to peoples' rights and dignity he said that all the parties including the National Conference, PDP, Congress,the Peoples' Conference and the recently formed third front have been trying to help the Government of India and the Army for suppressing the sentiments of peole of Kashmir and for preventing them(Kashmiris) from security right of self-determination for them.
He went to the extent of" telling people that leaders of these parties will come to voters for votes but people should remain cautious not to fall in their trap," This was greeted by people with pro-freedom slogans.And what makes his poll campaign a suspicious move was his way he strongly rejected the allegations that he was released to favour a particular mainstream party in elections through poll boycott. What circumstances or what factors had led Geelani to believe that people were skeptical about his poll boycott campaign. Possibly the matter is quite simple as far as the PDP is concerned. The PDP leadership believes that the police and the security forces may exploit the poll boycott call to help a particular party as had happened in 2008.It is widely believed in the PDP circles that the police authorities help groups of pro-NC party in enforcing the poll boycott call which had been given by the separatist after first two hours of polling. Reports indicate that the NC ladership had suggested to its supporters to motivate voters to visit the polling booths during early hours of the morning. Against this the PDP leadership had advised its supporters to allow voters to have a nice breakfast and then walk to the polling booths.Hence in the morning hours there was no enforcement of poll boycott which was enforced after the mid-day thereby preventing the PDP from winning more than 19 seats from the valley.And if Geelani is not playing in the hands of any mainstream party he should see to it that the mischief committed in 2008 was not repeated.It is a different matter whether Geelani succeeds in his mission or not.Complete success in forcing poll boycott may be a distant dream as has happened since 1996 Assembly elections. And to register their relevance and establish their credibility these separatists may use added efforts for ensuring complete poll boycott. |
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