SRINAGAR: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday condemned the arrest of youth leader Waheed Ur Rehman Para.
In a statement, PDP said that ahead of the DDC election, which was purportedly supposed to give an opportunity to new youth leadership in Jammu and Kashmir, the Government of India through its ruthless brigade arrested Waheed Ur Rehman Para.
The statement said that PDP’s youth leader Waheed Para was supposed to contest the polls from his home constituency in Pulwama.
“He was arrested immediately after filing the nomination for the polls – a clear attempt by a central agency meddling into the electoral process and influencing it in favor of the cronies of New Delhi,” said the statement.
“PDP Leadership outrightly condemns New Delhi’s latest ruthless action against its youth leader who was a beacon of change in the society and always upheld the values and principles of nonviolence and democratic engagement,” it said.
“Waheed’s arrest signals the level of depravity to which the BJP and RSS can go in targeting and damaging its political opponents. These actions of New Delhi will not deter the PDP. Our actions and our voices will become louder,” it added.
“Even after being placed under detention as well as house arrest for more than a year, his belief in democracy and in the power of people’s mandate led him to file his nomination for DDC elections. And his return for investing his past, present and future in the democratic functioning of a volatile zone such as Kashmir has cost him his own freedom,” said the statement.
“While we in J&K are seeing how the BJP is constantly favouring and protecting its own candidates for the upcoming elections. A very important member of our party is being targeted for not only voicing his stand against the ills of the Administration but also having the sheer courage to contest in elections after repeated harassment at the hands of the state,” it said.
“Being a part of PAGD, we have also come across how leaders from the alliance are stopped from campaigning and now we see that the leaders who have filed their nominations are being targeted for trying to democratically steer the needs of their people forward,” it added.
“The BJP has to face the facts that elections are not meant to favour the favourites rather, elections are meant for people to elect their representatives who they see fit to run their area. Installing puppets and criminalizing genuine efforts towards democratic functioning in Kashmir is how the BJP greatly undermines the spirit of democracy,” said the statement.
The statement said that during the PDP-BJP government (during which he was appreciated by the offices of the former Home Minister of India, Rajnath Singh for his relentless efforts at connecting with disgruntled Kashmiri youth) but has also been instrumental in the reconciliation process.
“Not only in Kashmir but everywhere across India, criminalising dissent has become the order of the day for the BJP regime. After dislodging the space for mainstream politics, caging Kashmiris in jails and in homes, BJP government has now resorted to arm twisting the mainstream politicians into obedience through covert threats and intimidation,” said PDP in a statement.
