Self-rule, autonomy proposals mere election stunts: Hashim

Srinagar, Dec 3 (UNI) Democratic Liberation Party (DLP) chairman Hashim Qureshi today said the self-rule and autonomy proposals propagated by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the National Conference (NC) respectively were nothing but ''election stunts''.

Addressing a party convention here, he said the self-rule slogan as propagated by various quarters was virtually aimed at creating confusion among the people of the state. ''These slogans are mere election stunts and nothing else,'' he added.

Mr Qureshi said self-rule within Indian or Pakistani Constitution was unacceptable to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

''Self-rule means that the people living in a country should have their own government with their own currency, defence and foreign affairs. But, the proposal of self-rule as being floated nowadays is either within the ambit of Indian or Pakistani constitution, which is not acceptable to the people,'' he added.

The DLP chief said the people have not offered the sacrifice of life, property and honour for the transfer of power.

''Can the leaders and parties trumpeting the self-rule slogan get the people of the state a representation at the international level under joint foreign affairs?'' he asked.

Mr Qureshi said the NC passed an autonomy resolution in the state Assembly, but the Indian government rejected it.

''Now the NC is again raising the autonomy slogan and thus trying to mislead the people. On one hand, the PDP is ruling the state as a representative of India and perpetrating atrocities on its people, and on the other, it is raising the self-rule slogan thereby playing with the sentiments of the people,'' he added.

Meanwhile, Islamic Students League (ISL) chairman Shakeel Ahmad Bakshi described the self-rule as a ''hollow'' slogan raised by those who want to be in power.

In a statement here, he said those who believe in revolutionary politics always struggle for sovereignty and not self-rule.

''The movement is for independence and not subservient to tides of time. The resistance movement was launched after failure of 60 years of various experiments and it will be taken to its logical end,'' Mr Bakshi added.

UNI AG ASM PK RK2000