Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 12: The People’s Democratic Party president, Mehbooba Mufti, today accused a senior police officer of threatening her party workers and has written a letter to Election Commission of India (ECI).
Addressing a press conference here Mufti said: “They observed the response of the people on the ground, which made them nervous. Instead, they should declare their proxy candidates as victorious, rather than holding elections,” she said.
She said that she has written a letter to the ECI and spoken on the issue with the CEO of J&K. “I informed him that there is a high-level police officer involved. I won’t name him because I want to give him the benefit of the doubt for now. Through him, police officers are receiving calls and getting lists of those who are to be picked up,” she added.
The PDP president said that 40-50 workers of the party have been detained. “Then they receive calls telling them to boycott voting. Our Zone President, Rajpora, whose name is Latief, had his house raided. What is all this? If they want to repeat 1987, why are they even holding elections?” she said.
“I want to tell the Prime Minister and Home Minister that their Atal Bihari Vajpayee ensured the trust of the people in the process of elections. Now, if they want to undermine that trust to ensure their proxy candidate wins, they should tell us, and then we will withdraw,” she added.
“If they are afraid of PDP, if they want to deprive people of their voting rights, tell us. We do not want to endanger the lives of people and workers. They can go to any extent; tomorrow, during the day, they can do anything”, she added.
She said that she has not received any reply from the ECI so far. “However, I have informed the CEO of J&K about the scenario. This is targeting national interests. People want to express themselves, but you want to discredit the entire election process just to keep the PDP out,” she added.
Mufti said that the PDP workers are being selectively targeted. “So far, those who have been held, whether they are in Charar-e-Sharif or in Pulwama district, or Khansahab in Budgam, or in Shopian district, were PDP workers. They are being selectively harassed, and PDP is made a target everywhere,” she added.
Regarding the viral video regarding scolding PDP leader Arif Laigroo, the PDP president said: “He is my younger brother, and I have every right to scold him. We are family. Why would he resign? I can even slap him; I have every right”.
The PDP president said that her workers downtown are also receiving calls asking them not to leave homes tomorrow. “Why is this happening? I think they are sensing a particular liking of people towards PDP as workers of no other party are facing arrests. Only our people are getting arrested; this is bad, very bad”, she added.
“Whatever happened in 1987, which led to three decades of bloodshed and violence, and we suffered huge human and material loss. If the same thing happens today, I do not think Kashmiris will ever trust this ballot again,” she added.
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