lok-sabha-polls-in-srinagar-marred-by-allegations-of-political-workers-arrests

Srinagar LS polls are turning out nothing short of a drama as political parties contesting polls claim that their party workers have been picked up and arrested by the J&K police to make sure the voter turnout remains low in the ongoing polls.

 

Chairman of the JKPC, Sajad Lone, said “The administration has arrested his party workers under the false pretext of being over-ground workers and "other flimsy pretexts."

 

He appealed to the ECI and administration to uphold objectivity, fairness, and a partial and non-confined approach in the electoral process and not selectively target parties and their workers.

 

Similarly, the Apni Party Chief also alleged that the administration has also arrested his party workers a day ahead of the polling in Srinagar.

 

"This is a mockery of democracy. Why are you telling us to participate in the elections? We believe that this is an election for parliamentary democracy; then why are our workers being harassed?" party Chief Altaf Bukhari said at a press conference.

 

Meanwhile, leaders of the JKNC and PDP alleged that their workers were being picked up by the administration at the request of the Apni party.

 

Bukhari denied the claims, saying, "They might have taken a few of their (PDP’s and NC’s) workers here and there, but our thousands of workers have been detained”. "I am hopeful that they will be released," he added.

 

"The administration explains the need for law and order. But I'd want to know where the law and order situation in Kashmir is. "People are peaceful," Bukhari stated. 

 

While supporting Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari's claim that Apni Party members had been detained, Lone stated, "I wholeheartedly agree with Bukhari that workers are being picked up and locked up on OGW grounds and other flimsy pretexts." "Incidentally, all these OGW lists were prepared during NC regimes,” Lone said.

 

However, J&K Police, in their statement, said, "The J&K Police is committed to enforcing the law and MCC guidelines about security in furtherance of free and fair elections.

 

There have been actions regardless of party affiliation about violations such as the seizure of cash, narcotics, and liquor and preventive actions against miscreants and potential offenders with a background of linkages to terrorism and separatism," it added.