Srinagar: The Centre’s tackling of protests against CEC Gyanesh Kumar in Delhi is a reminder of the treatment people of Kashmir have faced over years, National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah said on Saturday, asserting that “suppressing” the voice of the opposition, and denying people the right to raise legitimate concerns, “undermines” the spirit of democracy.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti accused the BJP-led central government of passing off “enforced silence” as consent, as she drew parallels between the heavy security clampdown in Delhi and the restrictions imposed across Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
In a statement issued here, senior Abdullah said good governance and effective administration require a strong, active and empowered opposition that can highlight public grievances and hold the government accountable.
The role of the opposition in a democracy is not confined to criticism alone, but also includes representing public aspirations, reviewing government policies and safeguarding constitutional and democratic values, he said.
The former chief minister said “suppressing” the voice of the opposition, refusing to tolerate dissent and denying people the right to raise legitimate concerns “undermines” the spirit of democracy and renders claims of good governance “meaningless”.
“A strong democratic system rests on freedom of expression, respect for differing opinions, public participation and institutional accountability. Any departure from these fundamental principles is detrimental to democracy,” he added.
An unprecedented security clampdown and the detention of over 7,000 protesters, including CJP leader Abhijit Dipke, four former chief ministers and YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, helped the government thwart a planned mass mobilisation at Jantar Mantar on Saturday to press for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
Expressing concern over the alleged use of “intimidation, pressure and excessive force to silence dissenting voices and create an atmosphere of fear”, the NC chief said the approach being adopted to “suppress” people’s voices in the capital reminds one of the “treatment that people of Kashmir have faced over the years”.
“Silencing public voices, restricting dissent and ignoring legitimate demands do not resolve problems but instead widen the gap between the people and those in power. The strength of democracy lies in ensuring that every citizen has the freedom to express their views and pursue their rights through peaceful and constitutional means,” he asserted.
Abdullah said the vote is a valuable trust placed by people, and the foundation of democracy.
“Ensuring transparency in the electoral process, restoring public confidence and safeguarding the credibility of democratic institutions are therefore essential,” he said.
“Today’s Delhi is a chilling reminder of Kashmir after the unconstitutional abrogation of Article 370. People were locked in their homes, the internet was shut down, and an entire region was placed under siege. The BJP then brazenly claimed that nobody had protested,” Mehbooba Mufti said in a post on X.
The former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir said that after “crushing” the protest, the ruling establishment would claim that there were no protests.
“Today, with Delhi under siege, trains halted and roads to Jantar Mantar sealed, they may repeat the same lie, claiming that nobody protested against Gyanesh Kumar. First crush the protest, then deny it ever happened. This is how enforced silence is passed off as consent,” she added.
