Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) Chairman Harsh Dev Singh Friday said BJP seemed to have assumed to itself the role of judge, jury and executioner.
“BJP has become law unto itself,” Singh said talking to media persons here after the party’s defeat in the District Development Council (DDC) polls in Udhampur district.
Though Udhampur is considered to be JKNPP’s fort, the party could get only 2 DDC seats while BJP won 11 and one seat was won by an independent candidate.
“There is no space for dissent in BJP rule with the saffron leaders and their ‘sycophant’ officers pursuing a policy of victimization of political opponents. BJP used the administration not only to promote it political prospects but also to bully and browbeat the opposition. In the process, the criminal elements were openly used to intimidate, abuse and assault the JKNPP workers with none to take cognizance,” he said.
Singh said that during the recently held elections, several JKNPP workers were booked in false and frivolous cases while granting immunity to “BJP goons” from legal action despite dozens of criminal complaints having been filed against them.
“Even the top JKNPP leadership including its female leaders were abused and assaulted while the concerned authorities did not take any cognizance. They failed to take action against the ‘BJP goons’ despite them issuing threats to kill JKNPP leaders of which video records were provided to the government,” he said. “BJP seems to have become a law unto itself with none to listen to shrill cries of dissenters for justice.”
Singh said that it was strange that even the autonomous agencies like State Election Commission had failed to respond to even a single complaint lodged by the aggrieved JKNPP workers.
“With democracy fast giving way to authoritarianism and dictatorship, the conscientious citizens of India must rise to the occasion to safeguard the most cherished rights and liberties guaranteed to all by the constitution of India,” he said.