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Two rebel leaders of the Peoples Conference, a constituent of the Hurriyat Conference, on Monday ridiculed the poll boycott call by separatists in Jammu and Kashmir asking why no such call was given during the recent polls in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
"Elections have been held in both parts of J&K over the past 55 years. Recently, elections were held in PoK, but no boycott call was given. Neither was participation in those elections dubbed as a crime. Why this double standard?" Ghulam Moiuddin Sofi and Abdul Rashid Mirchal asked at a press conference in Srinagar.
"The Kashmir issue is not going to be solved in a week or 10 days. So those running away from these polls are not correct," Sofi and Mirchal, who are contesting as independents from Handwara and Karnah assembly constituencies after their exit from the Peoples Conference of assassinated leader Abdul Gani Lone, said.
Stating that they respected the point of view of those boycotting the polls, Sofi said he expected those elements to respect their point of view also.
"Kashmir is not fiefdom of any individual or party but belongs to all those residing here. Nobody has any right to impose their decisions or coerce anybody to accept their point of view and doubt the integrity of those participating in the polls," Mirchal said.
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