SRINAGAR: Despite the lofty claims, Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) faced a humiliating defeat in the sham elections recently held in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
The party’s chief in the occupied territory, Ravinder Raina, suffered a notable defeat in the sham polls.
He lost the Nowhsera Assembly constituency to National Conference candidate Surinder Kumar Choudhary by a margin of 7,819 votes. The results of the sham assembly elections were announced on Tuesday.
Election Commission of India data revealed that Raina received 27,250 votes, while Choudhary grabbed 35,069.
This defeat indicates a significant disconnect between the BJP’s assertions of progress and the electorate’s sentiments.
Meanwhile, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has reiterated Kashmiri’s demand for implementing the UN resolutions to resolve the long-standing depute of Kashmir through the right to self-determination.
The APHC spokesman, Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas, in a statement issued from Srinagar, said that despite the massive deployment of troops and state machinery, the Bharatiya Janata Party faced a humiliating defeat.
He said that Kashmiris reject India’s occupation and are not ready to compromise on their right to self-determination. He stated the APHC views the elections as a drama staged by India to perpetuate its illegal occupation.
“Permanent peace in South Asia can only be achieved by addressing the Kashmir dispute justly, respecting the will of the Kashmiri people. The conference asserts that India has obstructed a fair solution for over seven decades and that military force cannot suppress the rightful struggle of Kashmiris,” he said.
The APHC strongly condemned Modi’s actions on August 5, 2019, for violating UN resolutions regarding IIOJK. It added that Kashmiris have the right to pursue a resolution aligned with their aspirations and that the international community bears responsibility for aiding in resolving the dispute to ensure enduring peace in South Asia.
The APHC spokesman stressed the need to end the ongoing military suppression and military actions against the people of IIOJK. He called upon the global powers to facilitate a just resolution of the Kashmir dispute.
