Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti and National Conference (NC) candidate Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Sunday wrote to the Election Commission (EC) about the alleged police crackdown and pointed out “police summoning and detention of hundreds of their workers” in the past 24 hours in the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat, where polls will be held on May 13.
“The State administration, under the control of the Union government, is shamelessly engaged in activities aimed at intimidating voters and supporters of the PDP. I am deeply troubled by reports of security agencies conducting raids and harassing PDP workers in Pulwama and Shopian districts,” Ms. Mufti said, in the letter addressed to the EC.
She said the situation had escalated to a point where the security establishment was “instilling a climate of fear in areas slated for elections on May 13”. “This appears to be a direct result of public threats made by J&K Apni Party, which has openly called for the arrest of PDP supporters. It is distressing to witness history repeating itself, reminiscent of the 1987 rigged elections that caused immense suffering and political disillusionment in the region,” Ms. Mufti said.
