Hurriyat slams Jehad Council for poll boycott call

Moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference today lashed out at United Jehad Council (UJC), an amalgam of 13 militant outfits based in POK, for asking people of Jammu and Kashmir to boycott the Lok Sabha elections.

"We do not recognise UJC. They are carrying swords. We do not accept diktats," Acting Chairman of Hurriyat Conference Maulana Mohammad Abbas Ansari said.Ansari said the UJC, led by Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin, was "confused" as it chose not to interfere in the 2008 Assembly Elections and was now asking people to boycott parliamentary polls.

The UJC had on Wednesday called for poll boycott saying "those who claim that elections have nothing to do with the freedom movement are deceiving people".

Ansari said that his organisation was not in favour of enforcing orders on others and will leave it to the people of Kashmir to decide about the elections as per their "conscience".

He also defended the decision of chairman of breakaway Peoples Conference Sajjad Ghani Lone to contest elections and compared his action to that of National Conference founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah.

"Why are we people targeting Lone for contesting elections? Have you forgotten the late Sheikh Abdullah also contested elections after heading the Plebiscite Front," Ansari said. The Hurriayt yesterday said it would not boycott the elections.