Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti Saturday claimed that the government is trying to revive ‘Ikhwan’ to pave the way for 1987-like poll rigging in Jammu and Kashmir.
She said it is surprising that Section 143 CrPC has been imposed in district Pulwama and a spree has been started to target PDP workers selectively who participated actively in poll campaigns.
“It is unprecedented that Sec 143 CrPC has been imposed in district Pulwama. From the past few days our party workers who have participated actively in poll campaigning are being summoned to police stations and subsequently detained. In addition, 60 workers have been arrested in Poonch district after militants ambushed an IAF convoy in Sanai Top. We want to ask the Election Commission of India (ECI) if you want to rig elections like they were rigged in 1987 then what for this whole drama is being created,” Mufti said.
She alleged that the government is trying to revive ‘Ikhwan’ to pave the way for 1987-like poll rigging in Jammu and Kashmir. She said the selective approach with PDP reflects that the government wants to throttle the real voice of Jammu and Kashmir.
Mufti, who is contesting Lok Sabha elections from Anantnag-Rajouri Parliamentary seat, said “each and every institution of the government of India is being used to help proxies of BJP in Jammu and Kashmir with an aim to throttle the real voice of J&K.”
“The 1987 election rigging paved the way for abundant graveyards in Jammu and Kashmir. If this is repeated again, the situation will go from bad to worse. We tried our best in times of Late Vajpayee to restore confidence of Kashmiris on vote; if any misadventure will happen it will have serious implications on future,” Mufti said.
Citing the example of party leader Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra, she said that “you (govt) have jailed Kashmiri youth but we are making them ready to reach Parliament and represent people of Jammu and Kashmir.”
