‘Use of coercion during north Kashmir polls undemocratic’
Srinagar: Taking cognizance of aggressive means adopted by Army and some elements in recently concluded parliamentary elections in north Kashmir, the International Forum for Justice and Human Rights–JK (IFJHR-JK) has strongly condemned the acts by terming it “undemocratic” and “unethical”. According to reports, Army had allegedly threatened people to come out to vote there while as the voters were stripped and thrashed by some unidentified youth for casting their votes. According to a statement issued to KNS, “To vote or boycott is the basic right of every citizen and we strongly condemn the use of force or any other repressive measures adopted by anyone in this regard,” IFJHR-JK in a statement issued to media said.
“To curb the basic rights of citizens by subjecting them to repression or any other torture, that too in a democratic set up is against the very core of the institution itself. Such means of aggression cannot be but termed as undemocratic and unethical,” chairman IFJHR-JK Muhammad Ashan Untoo said. He said the state of Jammu and Kashmir is the only place in the world where such kinds of violations take place. “People across the globe enjoy their right to franchise in a free way except this part where coercion is adopted to suppress the opposite ideology,” Untoo said, adding, “such incidents tantamount to grave human rights violation as it curbs the very basic right of an individual.”
International Forum for Justice and Human Rights – JK severely condemns such kind of incidents and terms these detrimental to the smooth functioning of democracy. We demand that every citizen should be given the right to enjoy his basic human rights. Meanwhile, IFJHR-JK has condemned the police highhandedness in north Kashmir’s Baramulla, Sopore and Bandipora on Friday where police went berserk and sabotaged properties of locals.