Will challenge non-locals in J&K poll rolls: Farooq Abdullah at all-party meet

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, August 22

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Monday said the “inclusion of non-local voters” in the electoral rolls of Jammu and Kashmir was not acceptable to the parties here as it would “end J&K’s identity”.

Abdullah, who had called an “all-party” meeting to discuss the issue, said the decision would be contested by all means, including by mounting a legal challenge to it.

The meeting, convened by Abdullah at his residence, was attended by PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, Congress’ J&K unit head Vikar Rasool, CPM leader MY Tarigami, Manish Sahni of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and Narinder Singh Khalsa of the SAD (Amritsar). However, AAP, Altaf Bukhari-led Apni Party and Sajad Lone-led People’s Conference stayed away. The parties decided to launch an agitation accusing the Centre of tampering with the demography of the UT.

Abdullah alleged, “The move will result in an increase in the number of non-local voters. This will dilute the identity of Dogras, Kashmiris and Paharis, among others. The assembly will be in the hands of the outsiders and the people here will be left with nothing.”

Abdullah had called the meeting after remarks related to the addition of voters in the revised rolls by UT’s Chief Electoral Officer Hirdesh Kumar raised hackles of the regional parties even as the government later issued a clarification, saying the report of a likely addition of over 25 lakh voters after the revision of electoral rolls was a “misrepresentation of facts by vested interests”.

Sajad Lone said his party would wait till October when the draft electoral rolls would be published. He, however, warned against any change in the J&K’s demography.

Bukhari has already thanked the Centre for its clarification over the issue. Both Bukhari and Lone are considered close to the BJP.

BJP holds counter-meeting, slams parties

• BJP held a ‘counter-strategy’ meeting of its senior leaders
• It slammed the NC, PDP and others for misleading public to disturb peace in the UT
• There is no issue of locals or non-locals as all citizens have right to vote, says BJP

Bid to rob J&K of its identity

It will end J&K’s identity… Assembly will be in hands of outsiders and people here will be left with nothing. — Farooq Abdullah, NC chief

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