Srinagar, Leaders from Kashmir’s Hurriyat Conference have dismissed the recent announcement by Indian Home Minister Amit Shah that assembly elections will be held in Jammu and Kashmir by September 30, insisting instead on a plebiscite as per United Nations resolutions.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the Hurriyat leaders argue that the proposed elections, to be conducted under the Indian Constitution, do not address the core demands of the Kashmiri people for self-determination. They view the election announcement as an attempt to mislead the international community and suppress the Kashmiri call for a plebiscite.
The region of Jammu and Kashmir, under dispute for several decades, has seen a series of elections in the past which have often been accompanied by violence and allegations of electoral fraud. The Hurriyat’s rejection of the forthcoming elections highlights the ongoing struggle for autonomy and resistance against Indian governance in the territory.