Centre needs to come out with unvarnished truth: Sajad Lone

Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference Chairman Sajad Lone on Friday said that the recent statement by officials of the Election Commission pertaining to allowing non-locals to vote in the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir has created a new set of apprehensions among the people, and that the Government of India must allay the fears.

"The statement of ECI officials has heightened the fears of demographic intervention and demographic change. We know the set of laws that prevail across the country but what matters here is not the application of the law but the intentions of those implementing the law," Lone said in a statement.

Sajad said that in the last three years, disempowerment of the inhabitants of J&K has become a continuous process and is achieved incrementally with unfailing frequency.

He further said that J&K has a history of stolen elections and these statements are ugly reminders of those stolen elections and also indicative of nursing intentions of stealing elections in the future.

"We hope that instead of cheerleading newly baked scares on a daily basis, the government recognises its failings and makes amends for the errors made in the past three years. The perception amongst the people is that the Central government is up to its old tricks," he added.

While making a fervent appeal to the government to allay the apprehensions of the people of J&K and unambiguously state their intentions, Lone maintained that "unless the government comes forward with an explanation of their intentions, we see this as an advertent escalation.

"We appeal to the government to make public their version of events. Let reality be reflected as it exists," he added.