Srinagar, Sep 7 (IANS): An FIR was registered against a member of the National Conference (NC) in J&K’s Ganderbal district on Saturday for violation of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) that is in place in the Union Territory for the three-phase Assembly elections starting September 18.
Mohammad Ashraf Ganie, a former sarpanch and NC member, reportedly used the word ‘assassination’ in his speech during campaigning for the upcoming Assembly elections at Kachan village in Ganderbal district. Ashraf reportedly used the word while speaking of those who do not respect the NC flag.
The NC has fielded former Chief Minister and Vice President of the party, Omar Abdullah, from the Ganderbal Assembly constituency.
Ashraf belongs to Peerpora village in Ganderbal which is barely 3 km away from Kachan where the inflammatory speech was reportedly made.
Reports said that the comments caused unrest in the area, prompting the MCC nodal officer to take serious note of the violation and call for strict action against Ashraf.
“Legal proceedings have been initiated and authorities are reviewing the case for further action," an official said.
NC provincial secretary Showkat Ahmad Mir, meanwhile, tried to downplay the incident by terming Ashraf's comment a "slip of tongue".
Mir added that there was no malicious intent behind the statement as he urged the authorities to handle the matter with care, suggesting that the FIR might not have been necessary.
Apart from Omar Abdullah, there are 23 other candidates in the fray in Ganderbal, including Bashir Ahmed Mir of the PDP, Ishfaq Jabbar an (Independent), Congress Sahil Farooq, and Sarjan Ahmad Wagay alias Azadi Chacha, who has filed his nomination from jail.
During scrutiny of papers, all the 24 nominations, including that of Sarjan Ahmad, were found valid.
The NC and the Congress have stiched a pre-poll alliance.
According to the agreement, 52 seats will be contested by the NC, 31 by the Congress, while two seats have been left for the CPI-M in the Valley and the Panthers Party in the Jammu division.
The two alliance partners could not reach a consensus on five seats in Sopore in the Valley, and Nagrota, Doda, Bhaderwah and Banihal in Jammu division.
Both parties will field candidates in these five constituencies and engage in what they called a ‘friendly contest’.