As voting for the sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections is underway in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag-Rajouri seat, PDP chief and party candidate Mehbooba Mufti staged a protest outside a police station in the district.
She alleged that her party's polling agents and workers are being "targeted and arrested", adding that the outgoing calls on her mobile phone have been suspended.
"Our PDP polling agents are being targeted and being arrested. We are asking the reason but they aren’t saying anything. If they are so afraid of me going to the Parliament, then LG sir should tell me not to fight elections," Mufti said while protesting outside Anantnag's Bijbehara police station.
The protestors raised slogans against the Jammu and Kashmir administration and demanded that those detained be immediately released.
However, police said that those who are detained are overground workers (OGWs) and the action was taken to ensure prevention of any untoward incident.
Further, the PDP candidate said, "They are lying. They have been given the responsibility to rig the elections."
She said that this is being done to "induce" fear in the minds of the people so that Kashmiri's don't come out and cast their votes. Mufti said "they know that if the people of South Kashmir come out and vote then Mehbooba Mufti will win and will go to Parliament."
"They can't tolerate me in the Parliament," she claimed. Mufti is among the 20 candidates contesting from the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency.
Officials said that police and civil officers rushed to the scene of the protest and tried to persuade the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief for over an hour to life the blockade. But they remained unsuccessful in convincing her.
Police personnel had to resort to mild lathi charge to disperse the increasing crowd of onlookers, they added.
Meanwhile, Mufti left the protest site for a brief period to cast her vote.
"Many of our PDP polling agents & workers are being detained just before voting. When the families went to the police stations they are being told that its being done at the behest of SSP Anantnag & DIG South Kashmir. We’ve written to @ECISVEEP hoping for their timely intervention. @PMOIndia @AmitShah," the PDP chief said in a post on X.
Officials said that Mufti is still at the protest site, adding that additional forces have been called to keep the situation under control.
(With agency inputs)
