We believe in democracy, not the one prevailing in Kashmir: Mirwaiz during Friday sermon

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SRINAGAR: Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday said that Hurriyat was never against elections but holding polls “in presence of lakhs of forces is nothing but a military exercise aimed at damaging Kashmir.”

Addressing a gathering at the historic Jamia Masjid on Friday, he said elections were meaningless in presence of “draconian laws like AFSPA, mass arrests of resistance leaders and the killings of youth”.

“We believe in democracy but not the one prevailing in Kashmir under the presence of lakhs of forces who are out to muzzle all democratic rights of people. Here the meaning of democracy is military might,” said the Mirwaiz.

He said Hurriyat and the people of Kashmir will participate in elections for the right to self-determination “as that will pave way for real democracy.”