PDP workers being arrested, harassed : Mehbooba Mufti

Srinagar, May 12: PDP President Mehbooba Mufti today alleged that her party workers are being arrested and harassed ahead of the polling in Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency.

She was addressing a press conference here. Mehbooba demanded an end to such arrests and harassment. “ Rather than arresting or victimising our party workers, the authorities must tell us straightaway that polls cannot be fair. We will leave from the electoral fray. Why to risk the lives of our workers,”Mehbooba said.

The PDP President urged the authorities to keep the faith of people going in the democratic process and votes. “ This important faith in vote came during the rule of Atal Bihari Vajpayee sahib. This faith must not get shattered,” she said.

Mehbooba stated that she also wrote a letter to election commission in this connection. In the letter she said, “I am writing to you with a profound sense of urgency and grave concern regarding the troubling developments in the run-up to the elections in the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency scheduled for May 13.”

She added in the letter that it has come to her attention that the state administration, under the control of the Union government, is s engaged in activities aimed at intimidating voters and supporters of the People's Democratic Party."

Refering to the 1987 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls, the former chief minister said it is distressing to witness history repeating itself, reminiscent of the "rigged" election of 1987 that caused immense suffering and political disillusionment in the region.

Mehbooba stated she is "deeply troubled" by reports that the security agencies are conducting raids and harassing PDP workers in Pulwama and Shopian districts.

"Numerous party members, sympathisers and activists have been arbitrarily detained without justification, apparently as punishment for their efforts to organise public rallies and encourage voter turnout. In a democratic society, it is imperative that both election authorities and state officials promote political participation and ensure a fair electoral process," she said in the letter.

"Regrettably, the current situation in these areas is far from conducive to such principles," she added.