ISLAMABAD: A prominent Kashmiri leader Altaf Hussain Wani Saturday strongly denounced the Indian government’s attempts to change Kashmir’s religious and cultural identity, warning of severe consequences and a “powerful surprise” in the upcoming Kashmir polls, amidst increasing concerns that the region’s identity is under threat.
In an interview with media, Altaf Hussain Wani has rejected New Delhi’s announcement to hold polls in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K), terming it a “desperate attempt” to deceive the world.
Wani also emphasized that such moves would not legitimize India’s occupation of the disputed region and stressed that the struggle of the people of Kashmir for self-determination would continue unabated.
Wani’s condemnation of the Indian government’s actions is the latest in a growing chorus of dissent from leaders of Kashmiri, who accuse the New Delhi of pursuing a systematic agenda to change the demographic makeup of the entire region.
He said that the Indian government’s actions have been widely criticized and condemned by human rights groups and global forums, who warn of the potential for further instability in the region. Despite these tactics, Wani also vowed that the Kashmiri people would remain steadfast in their struggle for self-determination, a right upheld by United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.
He also said that the Kashmiri people’s fight for freedom would continue until their rights were recognized and respected. The so-called polls announced by India are nothing but a drama, a sham exercise to create a completely false impression of normalcy in the Occupied Kashmir.
He said that Kashmiris will not fall for this trickery and will continue to demand their right to self-determination, as promised by the UNSC resolutions. By dismissing the Indian polls as a ‘drama’, Wani has exposed the hollowness of New Delhi’s claims to democracy and its attempts to legitimize its occupation of the disputed region.
