Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra responded to a notice from the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding his use of the term ‘referendum’ during campaigning. Parra clarified that his intention was to emphasize the significance of the election, not to advocate for secession.
In his reply to the ECI, Parra stated, ‘The reference to the aspect that the ‘ensuing election is no less than a referendum’, only points towards the importance the present election holds and nothing else. Any other inference drawn by any person is not the intendment of the undersigned.’
The ECI had issued a notice to Parra, allowing him two days to clarify his speeches made during campaigning in the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency. Parra defended the use of phrases such as ‘people’s silence’ and ‘people of Kashmir are not happy with New Delhi,’ arguing that these were legitimate electoral issues that he was entitled to raise.
Regarding his comments about youth languishing in jail and children being caught in drug addiction, Parra stated, ‘It represents ‘the problem of Kashmir’ and the same is yet again a pressing electoral issue that the undersigned is within his rights to agitate.’
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti supported Parra, stating that he was the best candidate to represent the concerns of the people of Kashmir in Parliament. She criticized the ECI for issuing a notice to Parra while ignoring inflammatory remarks made by BJP leaders.
In a separate development, the administration has allowed NC candidate Omar Abdullah to hold rallies in the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency. The District Election Officer, Baramulla, initially rescheduled political events due to security concerns, but later granted permission based on updated recommendations from the SSP Sopore and ECI guidelines.
