KL Report
SRINAGAR
Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has formally petitioned the Election Commission against National Conference cabinet minister ms Sakina Itoo. She has been accused of coercing people to join her party and vote for it by invoking faith.
PDP spokesman Naeem Akhter said the party wants the EC to take action against the minister because the issue is a major violation of Model Code of Conduct. He said the video that has gone viral on the social networking sites clearly shows the lady minister compelling an old man. He said the issue is sensitive and the Commission must take note of it.
But Ms Ittoo is having the complete support of the party. Earlier in the day, a spokesman of the party said there was nothing serious in the video which is not rooted in culture of the place. “Let them (PDP) go to the Election Commission and then we will respond,” Junaid Mattu said. “Let it reach a level where the EC treats it a violation.”
Later, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah used twitter to talk about the issue. “She is trying to convince an old worker of her father to come back & work for the party as he had been upset for a while,” Omar said in the first of his series of tweets involving the only women minister in his cabinet. “I’ve spoken to Sakina, this video was taken months before the election code. She isn’t threatening anyone, she isn’t abusing anyone.”
“I know the PDP is in complete panic mode but using old videos & trying to mislead the EC about code violations is desperate beyond words,” Omar said in another tweet, adding, “She isn’t asking for votes or in anyway talking about elections / rival candidates. How is this then an election matter?”
