Aman Zutshi
Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Chief Spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq on Thursday (May 9) taking a dig at the order issued by Deputy Magistrate of Baramulla to reschedule the dates of election campaign of the National Conference (NC) party from May 9-18 in Baramulla said that the NC needs a level playing field just like the proxies of the BJP are getting in Kashmir.
Talking to the media on the sidelines of a function, National Conference Chief Spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq said, “Our representatives of Baramulla Javed Ahmed Dar Sahab and others have received a notice from Sopore police to reschedule our election functions from 9-18th May. But on 9, 10, 12 we have big functions at Beehama playground of our candidate Omar Abdullah Sahab and if you are denying permission when there is peak time of campaigning it is very surprising that the election campaigning is ending this on May 18. If the authorities are asking us to reschedule then will we campaign after elections.
Mr Sadiq added, “This is something that we have been asking that rescheduling our campaign will collapse our election campaign where National Conference (NC) is expecting the best voter turnout as people response is good there. From this two things are getting crystal clear that the opposition is deliberately pressurising Election Commission of India (ECI) to scuttle our programs otherwise there is no reason to defer or tell us to reschedule a program that already has been decided. The big thing is that the playground in Rafiabad has been designated as a rally place and even after that you’re changing for security reasons or some other reason is very unfortunate. We appeal to the ECI to please have a level playing field, just because some political parties are sacred of the National Conference (NC) it should not be used to postpone our functions”.
“There is a letter copy of the rescheduling of our functions in my possession which says that our free programs needs to be re-changed from May 9-18 and if we reschedule then where we will campaign, when it is actual in the main phase. That is why we are saying the ECI has to remain independent to ensure a level playing field. Our Vice President Omar Abdullah is being stopped from doing rallies. We are requesting the ECI and going to write a letter to stop this step motherly treatment with the National Conference (NC).
On being asked the rescheduling of the Anantnag-Rajouri seat parliament elections to May 25 from May 7 recently by a ECI press release, he replied “Exactly, they are scared and what happened in South Kashmir is exactly being repeated in North Kashmir. Please tell me if everything is nice and well, you have seen the response of Mr Omar yesterday to the places he visited, then why now suddenly the ECI is citing the security scenario to change our campaigning date and this needs to be checked by the ECI. We demand to the ECI to please provide us a level playing field just like other parties and let us do our election campaigning”.
“The unverified reports are saying security reasons and if the govt is saying the security arrangement is very well then why they are making such claims. The Beihama and Rafiabad playgrounds are designated for functions then that’s means some forces are intentionally doing this to stop NC from doing free and fair election campaigning. We need a level playing filed just like the proxies of BJP are getting”, Sadiq demanded.
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