Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Mar 30: As row over Social Welfare Minister and National Conference leader Sakina Itoo trying to whip of religious passions for electoral gains hot up with opposition PDP lodging a complaint with the Election Commission of India, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said today that the National Conference would abide by any directive issued by the Election Commission in the matter.
“The National Conference will follow the directives the Election Commission issues in the matter,’’ Omar said reacting to news report based on live video of Ms Itoo uploaded on social networking sites in which she is clearly seen seeking votes by whipping up religious sentiments.
Omar, however, blamed the PDP for trying to mislead the Election Commission about Model Code of Conduct violations by the Minister.
“I know the PDP is in complete panic mode and was using old videos and trying to mislead the EC about code violations, which is desperate beyond words,’’ Omar wrote on the micro-blogging site twitter after newspapers including the Excelsior published the report in which Sakina Itoo is seen raking up religious sentiments to gain votes for the National Conference.
Omar said she has spoken to Sakina Itoo, who said the video had been taken months before the election code.
“She (Sakina Itoo) is not threatening any one, she is not abusing anyone, she is just trying to convince and old worker of her father (Wali Mohammad Itoo) to come back and work for the party as he had been upset for a while,’’ Omar said.
Wali Mohammad Itoo was a prominent National Conference leader, who had held various important posts in the National Conference and the Government including Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. He was shot dead at Shaheedhi Chowk, Jammu after the Friday prayers when the militancy was at its peak.
Further, Omar said, Sakina Itoo is not asking for voters or in any way talking about elections/rival candidates. “How is this then an election matter’’? he asked.
Omar said National Conference spokesman Junaid Mattu has addressed the issue of Sakina video today and NC would obey the Election Commission directives.
Meanwhile, the PDP today lodged a complaint against Sakina Itoo, with the Election Commission of India (ECI), for trying to coax and coerce people to join her party and vote for it by invoking religion.
PDP spokesman, Naeem Akhtar, termed the issue as a major violation of Model Code of Conduct and urged the ECI to take note of it.
Akhtar said the issue is very sensitive in nature and it has been brought to the notice of the ECI that how cheap tricks are being employed by the NC leaders to buy support for their candidates.
The letter has pointed out that the Minister and her associates are invoking Holy Quran and the affirmation of Muslim faith to seek the support of people shown in the video. “They are clearly trying to force the people to swear by Quran and their Muslim faith that they would support and vote for the NC candidates”, the letter reads.
The PDP has enclosed video CD with the letter and requested the ECI to take cognizance of the matter and take an appropriate action against the Minister.
Sakina was caught in the video persuading the man by invoking his religious sentiments to work for her party in upcoming elections just like, he worked for it in 1996. But the elderly man refused to take oath on make any commitment despite coercion by the Minister and his supporters.
The National Conference senior leader and sitting Member Parliament (MP), Mehboob Beg is contesting Parliamentary elections from the Anantnag constituency against People’s Democratic President, Mehbooba Mufti. The Constituency is going for polls next month on April 24.
District Election Officer, Jehangir Mir, told Excelsior that no formal complaint has been registered with him against Sakina Itoo over the video. “I have seen the video, there is no mention of the date when it was shot and she doesn’t ask for vote. I don’t think this is violation of the model code of conduct”, he added.
It may be mentioned here that Additional Returning Officer Kulgam, Mohammad Harun, told Excelsior yesterday that seeking votes in name of religion is a violation of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and any such violation will be dealt seriously.
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