Parties allege ‘arbitrary arrest’ of workers, police deny charges
: A day ahead of the Srinagar parliamentary constituency, Kashmir’s political scene was rocked by allegations of “arbitrary arrests of workers of political parties” like National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party and Apni Party.
All the major political candidates and parties contesting in Srinagar constituency alleged that police have been detaining their workers and calling them to police stations since Saturday.
NC candidate Ruhullah Mehdi said that many of his party’s workers have been picked up by police. “I also want immediate release of our workers and those of PDP if the reports of their arrests are also correct,” he said.
During a press conference he targeted Election Commission for alleged intimidation of political workers by police. “If ECI is allowing this, this begs the question, are ECI and establishment serious towards democracy and its institutions here? What sort of intimidation is this to use police force to tilt the logistical ground,” he said.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti wrote a letter to the ECI wrote, “I am troubled by reports of security agencies conducting raids and harassing PDP workers in Pulwama and Shopian districts. Numerous party members… and activists have been arbitrarily detained without justification,” she wrote.
Mufti, during an interaction alleged that some officials were calling their political workers to boycott. “In this administration, there are some people who are calling our workers and saying ‘go for boycott, why would you vote’. When AB Vajpayee had announced that there will be free and fair elections, only then Kashmiris had put some faith in elections. Today they are repeating (unfair practices of 1987) and threatening people...,”she said.
PDP’s Srinagar LS candidate Waheed Parra alleged denial of fair and free elections by the officials in Kashmir.
Apni Party led by Altaf Bukhari, in a statement, also denounced the “unjustified arrests” of its workers and termed the this as a “blatant attempt to manipulate the polls”.
Have taken note: CEO
CEO of J&K, Pandurang K Pole, in a statement said that they have taken cognisance of the matter. “On social media, there have been some grievances of alleged intimidation of political workers of certain parties and the use of Section 144 order. The ECI has taken cognisance of the matter,” the statement said.
Baseless allegations: j&K police statement
Police has denied all the allegations. In a statement, it claimed that the statements and speculations of political parties suggesting that police has been harassing their party workers is without basis. “There have been actions regardless of party affiliation pertaining to violations such as seizure of cash, narcotics, liquor and preventive actions against miscreants and potential offenders with a background of linkages to terrorism and separatism,” it said.