Agencies:

Ahead of J&K Local Polls, Opposition candidates allege Illegal Detention

Jammu
November 20, 2020

65 year old Abdul Gafar Wagay had never thought that contesting elections will take away his individual liberty and land him in a security enclosure where he is literally treated like a "prisoner".
Less than 10 days before the first phase of local elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the opposition candidates are alleging that they have been confined to security enclosures and not allowed to campaign.

At a highly guarded accommodation facility near Pampore in Pulwama district, at least 40 candidates have been sequestered.

Like Mr. Wagay, there are dozens of candidates from Pulwama and Shopian districts who allege that the campaign of opposition candidates is being scuttled in the name security and only BJP candidates are being facilitated by the authorities.

"We have filed nomination papers to serve people. If this election is for people then why we have been detained here. There 30 to 40 people with me who have been detained here. Police are harassing us. They are not allowing us to go out. Look at my condition," said Mr. Wagay.