Srinagar: Bilal Ahmad Siddiqi, a jailed leader of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, and Mohammad Ahsan Untoo, Chairman of the International Forum for Justice and Human Rights, have openly criticized the BJP-led Indian government for what they call a misleading portrayal of normalcy in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, through orchestrated assembly elections.

According to Kashmir Media Service, Bilal Ahmad Siddiqi and Mohammad Ahsan Untoo, in their statements in Srinagar, emphasized that the sole demand of the Kashmiris is the provision of their right to self-determination, a cause for which they have made immense sacrifices.

The leaders highlighted that the Indian government has arranged visits for diplomats from around 15 countries to witness these elections, purportedly to showcase a sense of normalcy and suggest that Kashmiris are participating willingly in the democratic process. However, Siddiqi and Untoo have urged these diplomats to recognize the hidden agendas of these actions and support the Kashmiris’ fundamental right to self-determination.

They argued that elections held under the surveillance of over one million Indian troops do not reflect genuine democratic intent but are mere military operations. Siddiqi and Untoo stated that such elections cannot substitute for the Kashmiris’ long-standing demand for self-determination, a struggle marked by significant loss of life, enforced disappearances, and widespread abuse.

Furthermore, they criticized the Modi government for detaining thousands of Kashmiris, including leaders from the Hurriyat Conference, activists, journalists, lawyers, students, scholars, and human rights advocates on trumped-up charges, while simultaneously staging these elections.

The Modi government also facilitated a two-day visit (September 25-26) for ambassadors from various nations including the United States, Mexico, and South Korea, to observe the disputed assembly elections in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Source: Kashmir Media Service