Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 28: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti today urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) not to defer polls in Anantnag-Rajouri constituency.
The PDP president while speaking to reporters in Kulgam district on the sidelines of an election rally said that erratic weather should be no excuse for deferment of polls. She questioned the rationale behind citing inclement weather as a reason.
“The weather can change anytime. What do you mean by inclement weather? Where in the country have you heard of polls being delayed due to rain? These are ploys adopted by individuals with vested interests to hinder the electoral process in Jammu and Kashmir,” she said.
The PDP president expressed concern over underhand tactics employed by certain individuals to postpone the polls but emphasized that the Election Commission must uphold the credibility of the electoral process. “After a long time, the people here have regained trust in the democratic process and are actively participating in it,” she stated.
She accused that the ruling wants to use money power and harass people by seeking deferment. “They want a chance to harass people again and use money power. I urge the Election Commission not to dent the faith that people have in the election process for a party or an individual,” she said.
At DK Marg in Kulgam while addressing a rally she urged people to understand the cruciality of the ongoing elections vis-a-vis safeguarding Jammu and Kashmir’s core interests and identity.
Mufti urged people to recognize the significance of their ballots in influencing the country’s Parliament and unequivocally express dissent against the decisions made on August 5, 2019.
“Vote to make your voices reach the Parliament of the country and tell BJP on its face that the decision taken on August 5, 2019, was wrong and has to be revoked at all costs,” she said.
Highlighting personal adversities faced since the abrogation of Article 370, Mufti recounted the hardships endured by her family. “My passport, my daughter’s passport, and my mother’s passport were confiscated. My family was hounded and even the graveyard of my father was not spared. I was made homeless in the middle of winter without any notice”, she said.
The PDP chief accused her former party colleagues of backstabbing the party. My own men who were raised from scratch by my father backstabbed our party but I remained firm on my stand because of the earnest and large-scale support of my people across Jammu and Kashmir,” she said.
Mufti said that the Parliamentary election being held will end the years of suffocation in J&K. She emphasized the need to shed light on the ground realities of J&K post-August 5, 2019.
The PDP chief highlighted the plight of the youth, citing instances of arbitrary detentions, economic disenfranchisement, and land confiscation by the Government agencies. “I want to tell these agencies- who are you to confiscate our lands. This is our state, we are its citizens. You cannot choke us,” she added.
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