‘If we have our way, voter turnout will be only 5%’

Despite being snubbed by the electorate in the assembly elections, Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Shah Geelani has not shied away from giving another call for poll boycott. In an interview with DNA, the 79-year-old clears the air about his stance on democracy and elections.

You have again called for a poll boycott despite being snubbed by the people in the assembly elections. Is your call justified?
Surely we had given the call for poll boycott in the assembly polls and some people participated. But it does not mean that everything has ended. Some people have voted out of fear, some out of greed and some out of need. This cannot be called snub. We have given a call for poll boycott again because we feel the Kashmir cause is sacred for us and it cannot be bartered for anything.

But people want their representatives to take up their issues with the government...
True. Everyone in this world has some problems, some basic needs and some expectations. But we have to choose between a problem and a cause. We have given umpteen sacrifices for the Kashmir cause and there is no parallel to that. That is why we urge people to boycott the polls because it would further strengthen the cause and the day-to-day problems would be resolved in one way or the other.

When people did not listen to you in the last election, how do you expect them to fall in line this time?
The government managed a huge turnout in the last assembly polls. Wherever our supporters tried to convince people, they were fired at, arrested and harassed. Leaders were arrested and prevented from launching poll boycott campaigns. I challenge the government to allow us to run the anti-election campaign and you will see the turnout would not be more than 5%.

But government says it cannot allow the anti-election campaign because you would coerce and threaten voters...
It is like kettle calling the pot black. They have put the leaders under house
arrest and prevent us from making public contact programme. They know if we meet people, we would convince them not to vote.

But separatists are themselves in disarray. Sajjad Lone, one of the faces of separatism, has joined the poll fray and swears by democracy...
Loyal and sincere people stayed put and others ejected.