Do you think a free and fair poll is possible in Kashmir?
How are free elections possible if gunmen are after us and after the voters? This is a joke at the expense of the Kashmiris. The unfortunate part is that the gunmen are from a militant group which has the support of the Government. They are supposed to be surrendered militants; then why are they walking around with their weapons? I tell you, they are the Bhin-dranwales and they are everywhere. I am supposed to be the Congress candidate but my life is at risk.
Have you been threatened?
Yesterday (May 2) there was a blast in my office. There was a blast earlier too. I know it was the Ikhwan-ul-Muslimoon which was responsible for it. They have been threatening me ever since I filed my nominations. The Ikhwan is hand-in-glove with the Awami League. They are one and the same and I suspect some people in the Government are conniving with them.
Who are these people?
They must be ISI agents who have infil-trated the Government. How else can one explain their presence in the elections? How can people who have been murderers till yesterday be allowed to participate in elections? And how can the Government extend support to them? Would elections have been impossible if the Ikhwan was not around? Aren't there enough BSF personnel to take care of security? Who are these people walking around with unlicensed guns?
Why have you threatened self-immolation?
I am deeply hurt by what is happening. I cannot sit here and see the rape of democracy. Democracy cannot be imposed with a gun. I have asked for the disarming of the renegades before the elections. If that is not done, I have decided to take the extreme step.
The Awami League claims that its leaders are drawing large crowds.
I will tell you how they get their crowds. The gunmen go to villages, to factories and pull out the people at gun point. The Government-sponsored militants are worse than the Hizbul Mujahideen.
Will you withdraw from the election process?
That is for my party to decide. But I have told everyone here as well as the Home Ministry that there will be large-scale rigging if the surrendered militants are not quarantined at the time of elections or at least if their guns not taken away.