While hardline Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Friday asked people to stay away from ballot boxes, moderate JKLF chief warned of Kashmir turning into another Afghanistan.
"People should not vote in the upcoming parliamentary and assembly elections. Kashmir resolution lies in the right to self determination. Prolonging this issue has only allowed deep militarisation of Kashmir," Geelani told a gathering in north Kashmir's frontier district of Kupwara.
Describing the mainstream politicians as "pro-occupational forces", Geelani said, "The so-called mainstream parties and their leaders are fooling Kashmiri people by making promises about jobs, flyovers and roads for the sake of votes."
Geelani, who was allowed to address public meetings after 236-day restriction recently, pitched for demilitarisation of civilian areas in Kashmir.
"Demilitarisation is the basic right of people of Kashmir. People are facing lot of harassment due to the local camps. The same should be removed without any delay," he said.
In a separate rally in north-eastern district of Kangan, JKLF chief Yasin Malik warned that "if the Kashmir issue is not solved on priority, it will turn into another Afghanistan".
"Indian rulers instead of respecting the positive change of people resorting to peaceful methods of resistance instead of violence reciprocated with bullets, imprisonment and torture," alleged Malik.
"Afghan people are being rewarded for their violence and Kashmiri being humiliated for their peaceful approach can actually change the mindset of new generation from non-violence to violence," he warned.
He said, "Nobody can stop young boys, suffering at the hands of unilateral state violence, from taking up guns and starting a new violent revolution. This will turn Kashmir into another Afghanistan and thus ruin every prospect of peaceful settlement."
"Afghan people are being rewarded for their violence and Kashmiri being humiliated for their peaceful approach can actually change the mindset of new generation from non-violence to violence," he warned.
He said, "Nobody can stop young boys, suffering at the hands of unilateral state violence, from taking up guns and starting a new violent revolution. This will turn Kashmir into another Afghanistan and thus ruin every prospect of peaceful settlement."
He asked India and the international community "to show some magnanimity and wisdom and take some positive steps to solve Kashmir problem".