On December 26, Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed the recently held District Development Council elections in the Union territory of Ja...
On December 26, Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed the recently held District Development Council elections in the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir were an “example of democracy”.
But the same day, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference vice-president, Omar Abdullah, held a press conference at which he accused the government of “discrediting” democracy in the Union territory.
Winning candidates of the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration “are being threatened, humiliated and coerced to join Apni Party, which is a B-team” of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Abdullah was quoted as saying.
The Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration, of which Abdullah’s National Conference is a member, is a conglomerate of Kashmiri regional parties and the Communist Party of India (Marxist). They are demanding the restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir and its special status under Article 370 of the Constitution that were revoked in August 2019. The alliance won the highest number of seats in this month’s District Development Council elections.
This was the first direct election after the tumultuous changes brought about in 2019, but it was accompanied by allegations that leaders of the Gupkar Alliance were detained arbitrarily and that winning candidates politicians are being offered inducements to switch parties.
At least six major leaders –...
