Avtar Bhat
SRINAGAR, May 19: With State Government withdrawing security to defeated candidates in the recently held Parliamentary elections which they contested on tickets of various political parties and as independents, in the trouble- torn Kashmir valley soon after the announcement of election results, they are left with no option but to follow the path of Panchs and Sarpanchs and beg for their lives before the separatist leaders.
According to sources, the candidates who contested elections in Valley on the ticket of BJP and other political parties or as independents and were defeated are totally scared after the withdrawal of the security by the Government to them soon after the declaration of results. Fearing militants threat some of them have deserted their houses and shifted to unknown locations, sources added.
“Despite approaching the higher ups in Government pleading to continue security to them till they can shift to safer areas outside the Valley, our pleas have been turned down” said Fayaz Ahmed Bhat, BJP leader who contested the elections from Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency.
He said “when the Panchs and Sarpanchs feel insecure as they were threatened by militants what guarantee we have of our lives after taking part in democratic process by contesting the Lok Sabha elections in the State”.
He said entire security to candidates who contested recent Lok Sabha elections except PDP and NC was withdrawn by the Government soon after the declaration of results. This way Government has exposed all these candidates to grave security risk, he added.
“My entire security was withdrawn by SSP Budgam soon after the results were announced despite objections by security agencies”, said Fayaz.
He said the political activists put their lives in grave risk by contesting the elections in trouble-torn Valley. “Being the nationalist people our objective in contesting these elections was to bring more and more people in national mainstream and strengthen the democratic process so that a large number of voters can cast their vote in coming Assembly elections, but it appears that the Government was not interested in the same”, he added.
“My family is totally scared after the withdrawal of security as our residential house at Khanabal was attacked on May 2 by militants”, said Abdul Ahad Mir who contested election as an independent candidate from Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency.
Mir, who has fled from his house soon after the withdrawal of security said he as well as other members of his family have fled from their residence fearing militants strike and taken refuge at two isolated places.
Mir said that he was attacked over six years back by militants also and at that time he too had contested the election. Besides, he was kidnapped by Hizbul Mujahideen militants 12 years back and kept in captivity for five days at an unknown place in Valley.
He said he was later released only after his relatives and friends protested against the Hizbul Mujahideen and Jamat -e-Islamia. However another bid was made after some time to kidnap him by the same militant outfit but it was foiled by Army, he added.
Though no response was given by higher ups in Government to Mir’s pleas for continuance of security, he said his family totally feels scared and threatened as they have no alternative except to migrate to Jammu.
“By withdrawing security to us the Government was putting us at the mercy of separatist leaders” said Aasif Jeelani who contested the elections from Anantnag Lok Sabha seat as the candidate of All India Forward Block (AIFB).
Aasif whose residence at Mir Bazar was attacked by militants on May 13, said that the family has even not been provided security for some more days so that we can pack up and migrate to Jammu or other safer place.
The situation has become so grave for us that we are compelled to approach separatist leaders and beg them for our lives as no one in Government is ready to listen to our pleas, he added.
Criticizing the Government for withdrawal of security, BJP Muslim Morcha chief Mushtaq Noorabadi who contested election on party ticket from Anantnag Lok Sabha seat said it was a deliberate attempt to weaken democratic and nationalist forces in the Valley.
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