SRINAGAR: Having been encouraged by voter’s response to the poll boycott/call to the Lok Sahba elections in the Kashmir valley, the militants have urged the Centre to hold a plebiscite in the state.

In separate statements the secessionist organizations, including the Kashmir Liberation Front, have demanded holding of a plebiscite because the poll boycott had given a clear indication that people in Kashmir wanted to be citizens of an independent state of Kashmir.”

Mr. Azam Inqalabi, an underground leader, has said if plebiscite was not held, the Indian government would have to fight “us” in the streets.

The Kashmir Liberation Front has said by boycotting the elections people in Kashmir had demonstrated that elections either for the Lok Sabha or for the Assembly were no substitute for a plebiscite.

In addition to the renewal of the demand for holding a plebiscite, the militants have succeeded in forcing the liquor dealers to close their trade. Scared by frequent threats and bomb blasts, the Liquor Dealers Association has decided to wind up the business in the valley and shift to another trade.

The association has assured the militants that after clearing all the arrears and accounts with the Excise Department by the end of March next year the dealers would start another trade.

The Islamic Students League has welcomed the decision of the dealers and has assured them that till the end of March no dealer would be touched. The dealers have, however, demanded compensation from the Government for shifting to another trade.

The dealers have also urged the militants to take care of illegal liquor trade in Sopore town.

Two Opposition leaders Maulvi Farooq and Mr. Abdul Rashid Kabli have urged the Election Commission to invalidate the election results from Baramula and Anantnag constituencies, because “those elected do not represent anyone since not more than three percent of the voters in the two constituencies had exercised their franchise the election of the candidates should be declared null and void.

Article extracted from this publication >>  December 22, 1989