Srinagar, Dec 4 : Former chief minister Omar Abdullah and senior CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousif Tarigami on Friday condemned the attack on a candidate contesting District Development Council (DDC) elections in south Kashmir district of Anantnag.
An Apni Party candidate, identified as Anees-ul-Islam, was shot at and critically wounded by unidentified gunmen in Anantnag on Friday, when third phase of polling for DDC elections is underway.
Mr Abdullah, who is the Vice President of National Conference (NC), said elections have always brought out the worst in those forces, who have remained inimical to peace in Kashmir.
“Disturbing reports coming in from Kokernag in South Kashmir of an attack on a DDC election candidate. I hope & pray that he survives the attack. Elections have always brought out the worst in those forces who have remained inimical to peace in Kashmir,” Mr Abdullah wrote on micro-blogging site twitter.
Meanwhile, reacting to the attack, Mr tarigami such incidents have no place in civilized society. “Such acts suit none other than those who want less participation in polls so that the results of these elections can be manipulated, peoples grievances are not redressed and their voices not heard. They want agonies and miseries of common man to remain unattended,” he said.
He said to vote or not to vote became a topic of discussion for several years in Kashmir. “History and experience sufficiently demonstrates that neither voting nor the boycott changed the political course of Kashmir. However, the boycott of elections virtually leads to disempowerment of people which is the reason that the political parties in J&K decided to participate in DDC polls though announced abruptly,” he said.
“People must not succumb to such tactics as these have been going on for the last three decades. There are pressures from the administration on ones side on voters and on the other such elements are harassing and threatening them,” he added.
Comments are closed.