JAMMU: The Aam Aadmi Party on Monday staged a protest against the Election Commission of India (ECI) here for the delay in holding of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
The protest, led by Taranjit Singh Tony, Chairman Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Jammu and Kashmir for Administrative Engagement and Minority Affairs, and DDC Member Suchetgarh and Yaspal Kundal, Chairman ST, SC OBC Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Jammu and Kashmir and former minister was held outside Nirvachan Bhawan in Jammu.
The leaders raised anti-ECI and anti-BJP slogans outside the election office alleging that it had become a “puppet” in the hands of the BJP.
“The ECI has become a puppet in the hands of the BJP. We want ECI to work independently”, Tony told reporters here.
“On one side BJP Govt wanted to take credit of bailing out people from the morass of unrest and terrorism as its leadership in all election rallies point out that Kashmir is totally normal but when it comes to hold Assembly elections, the party simply make terror and turmoil its alibi to defer the poll process showing its deception and duplicity”, Tony said, adding that ECI should independently gauge the situation and give a green signal for elections in J&K as people are suffering badly in the absence of a popular government.
The senior AAP leader said that the logic of BJP leadership in holding Panchayat elections in J&K and deferring the Assembly polls is bizarre because if the situation is conducive for PRI polls then what is hindering the government to hold polls for installing a popular government.
Tony, who sat on dharna along with other leaders, said, “ECI is ready to hold elections of the Panchayat, Corporation, town area committee, MP, DDC and BDC. What is the problem in holding Assembly elections?”
Questioning the Commission, Tony demanded the restoration of democratic government in the Union Territory by holding the Assembly elections. “We should get our justice and have an elected government in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Prominent among those who joined the protest include Namrta Sharma, President Women Wing AAP J&K, Sr Spokesperosn Jagdeep Singh, Partap Singh Jamwal (Sangathan Mantri), Dr Rajinder Thappa, Shanker Singh Chib, President Kissan Wing, Mahesh Bakshi, Sham Lal Bhagat, District President, Ashok Kumar District President; Sarpanch Rajinder Singh, Yasin Mattoo, Raj Mohammad Salaria, Mandeep Choudhary, S Mohinder Pal Singh, S Parvinder Singh, Bodhraj Sharma, Kanav Khajuria, Vikrant Sharma, Owais Choudhary, Asif Gill, Prem Lal Bhagat, NIsha Bhagat, Buti Ram and others.