Anil Sharma says it is not the first time that militants have threatened the panchayat members in Jammu and Kashmir
Unfazed by the Hizbul Mujahedeen threats to gouge out the eyes of the Panchayat candidates with acid, former Panchayat representatives have decided to contest the polls next month even as Jammu and Kashmir police have launched an investigation to find the veracity of the leaked audio.
In a leaked telephonic conversation, Hizbul chief operational commander Riyaz Naikoo had told his commander Sameer Tiger to pour acid into the eyes of the people who will contest the panchayat elections scheduled to be held from February 15.
"We are not going to be bogged down by such threats. We will participate in the polls because we have made umpteen sacrifices for democracy. We do not fear bullets but Hizbul Mujhadeen is frightened by the ballot", said Anil Sharma, president of All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference, (AJKPC), an apex body of former Panchayat representatives.
Sharma said it is not the first time that militants have threatened the panchayat members in Jammu and Kashmir. "Hizbul threatened us in the 2011 elections as well. When panchayat members were elected, they threatened them to resign. They targeted our people any many of them were killed and injured", he said.
On the other side, Jammu and Kashmir police has launched the investigation into the audio clip of Riyaz Naikoo. "We are looking into the veracity of the audio", said SP Pani, deputy inspector general of police.
AJKPC however demanded proper security for the candidates in the Panchyat elections. "We appeal the director general of police to provide security to the candidates. Plus general security should also be beefed up", said Sharma.
Panchayat polls are being held in Jammu and Kashmir from February 15 after a two year delay. Elections were scheduled to be held in 2016 but due to the unrest post Burhan Wani killing, the grass-root democratic exercise were delayed.
Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL)of separatists have also called upon people to stay away from the democratic process saying, "India is using the election to negate Kashmiris demand for "self-determination and freedom".
Seen as one of the biggest achievement of the Omar Abdullah government, the Panchayat elections were last held in 2011 after a 33-year hiatus in Jammu and Kashmir. More than 80 per cent people had defied militants and cast their votes in the panchayat elections in 2011. More than 33,000 panchayat representatives were elected in the polls across the state in 2011.
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