A day after the Hurriyat doves decided not to call for boycott of the ongoing polls, the alliance aggressively defended its decision against the criticisms from militant groups, telling them to “mind their own business”. The Hurriyat reiterated its stand that it will not call for a poll boycott and leave the decision to the people.

The United Jihad Council slammed the Hurriyat decision, saying the moderate group had let the people down”. “Those who say that they have nothing to do with the polls are deceiving people,” UJC chairman Syed Salahuddin said on Wednesday.

Salahuddin also termed the Hurriyat moderates as “hypocritical” in their approach “draped in Hurriyat garb but working to strengthen India’s interests in Kashmir”.

However, unlike in the past, the moderates this time rejected the objection. “The Hurriyat will not accept diktats. We do not recognise the UJC,” acting Hurriyat chairman Molvi Abbas Ansari said. Ansari even called Salahuddin “confused”. “UJC chose not to interfere in the Assembly polls and now, they are calling for boycott of parliamentary polls,” he said.

Ansari even exhibited an understanding of Sajad Lone’s decision to contest the polls, saying that he had made a choice and was responsible for it. He cited the example of National Conference founder Shiekh Abdullah, who had also participated in polls despite espousing separatist ideology.

Ansari’s outburst is likely to further sour the moderates’ relations with militant groups, which will see this as a challenge to their political authority in the state. The UJC has always ridiculed the mass sway of the moderates, contending that it is their military force that has underpinned the political strength of the Hurriyat leadership rather than any actual ground support.

... contd.