NC, PDP say workers harassed at Apni Party behest; police, EC deny

ON THE eve of voting in Srinagar, allegations by two prominent Valley parties — PDP and NC – that the J&K administration was “intimidating and detaining” their workers to favour “a particular political party”, snowballed into a major controversy. The Election Commission and the police have denied the allegations.

While PDP’S Srinagar candidate Waheed ur Rehman Para claimed Saturday that Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari “openly gets people arrested”, NC candidate Aga Ruhullah Mehdi alleged Sunday that the administration was “working for a particular political party”. On the other hand, Bukhari said the administration was targeting Apni Party workers, and alleged that the PDP and the NC had joined hands with the administration in this.

The J&K Police rejected the allegations in a statement Sunday, saying they were made “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,” the statement said.

J&K CEO Pandurang Pole also termed the allegations baseless, but said if any mistakes were made, they would be corrected.

Mehdi, in a press conference Sunday, said his party’s workers were being targeted to “weaken our logistic support”. “Unfortunately,j&khasbeenapolice state since 2019. But now, even under the supervision of the Ec,itisworkingforaparticularpolitical

party… the way an atmosphere is being prepared for a particular political party, the way the soldiers of democracy are being intimidated, political parties and organisers are being intimidated, what do they want to do...?”

In a post on social media, Para named a senior police officer and accused him of “allegedly directing officials to minimise voter turnout by detaining and harassingourworkers”.“we’rereaching out to the EC to urgently address and relocate the official from his sensitive position,” he said.

The J&K Police rejected the allegations against the officer and said, “...Criticism of the police has been always accepted as a professional hazard. However, speculative statements made against individual police officers and put in thepublicdomainexposestheindividualtosecurityhazardsasseen in past. Nevertheless, we reiterate our dedication and commitment to impartial enforcement of law.”

Shuaib Masoodi Polling officials leave for their respective booths Sunday, a day ahead of voting in Srinagar constituency.