AMRITSAR: Akali Dal (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann claimed that given the law and order conditions in Jammu and Kashmir, the election process would be a futile exercise.
Talking to reporters here, he said in the absence of security environment the elections in Kashmir could not be free and fair, Due to the threat perception voters were unwilling to participate in the electoral process and there was virtually no form of election machinery to ensure a fair poll, he claimed.
Regarding the postal ballot scheme mooted by the Election Commission for Kashmiri migrants the Akali leader said this idea of the Commission was questionable. In his opinion it would be difficult to determine the genuineness of the person who avails of the ‘postal ballot. When asked to comment on the recent anti India utterances of Riaz Khokhar, the Pakistan High Commissioner to India, Mann said he would do so after the counting of votes were over in Punjab as presently he was bound by the Election Commission’ model code of conduct.
He, however, hastened to add that the Indian government in a commitment to the United States had agreed to hold plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir, so as to determine whether the people of that state want to remain with India or not.
Refusing to comment on the poll ‘boycott call of the Kashmiri militants, Mann in a response to Sikh voters in the troubled state said they should keep their self-security upper most in ‘mind before deciding to participate in the election process, he, however, advised Sikh voters in that state to keep away from the Bharatiya Janata Party and all such political parties that glorify communalism, support the killing of innocent persons in fake encounters and resort to demolition of religious shrines belonging to other communities. Commenting to the call of the Akali Dal (Badal) asking the Sikhs in the valley to support the BP, Mann said the Badal Dal was playing with fire when it advises Sikhs to follow this suicidal path which would only jeopardize their security. With militants calling for a boycott of the elections in the valley, the Dal should refrain from such irresponsible utterances as the foremost duty of the ‘Akali parties was to ensure the protection of Sikhs all over the country.
Symbols of Liberty in Bondage There are no cruder tyranny than that which is perpetrated under the shield of law and in the name of justice.”
Article extracted from this publication >>May 8, 1996
