Srinagar: Citing that ‘fear’ of loss was the reason behind delay in Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference vice-president Monday sought answers from the Election Commission of India “for allegedly depriving people of their democratic rights”.
During a press conference here today, Omar Abdullah blamed the Election Commission of India for taking decisions “to suit BJP”.
“I have nothing personal against the BJP. I have complaints with ECI; when it says it will hold elections in Jammu and Kashmir after considering all the factors, I want to know what factors are they looking at?
“There is only one factor and that is ‘fear factor’,” he said.
Omar Abdullah said that BJP “fears its imminent defeat” here, especially now after failing miserably in the LAHDC-Kargil polls.
“Earlier they (BJP) would hide behind the Raj Bhawan, now it is the Election Commission. If there is anything else other than the fear factor, we want to hear about it. Is internal security not robust? You can’t deprive the people of their democratic rights of having an elected government in Jammu and Kashmir,” Abdullah said.
He said: “They (government) are claiming that the situation has changed post-August 2019. They also release figures about a large number of tourists coming to Kashmir. The Election Commission earlier said that a vacuum needs to be filled, now see what they are doing to fill it up….”
Omar Abdullah also said they have no hopes of Assembly elections happening in Jammu and Kashmir, especially after the results of LAHDC- Kargil polls are out.
“If our democratic rights are not restored, the political parties will have no choice other than to come out on the streets. The Supreme Court recently told the government to hold Panchayat and Urban Local Bodies elections. It seems they now have no courage left to hold these elections,” he said, adding “if it could, the BJP would even delay parliament elections; but they couldn’t do it because of the compulsion of forming a government at the center.”
