[Reader-list] "Samata men rake up ' IB candidate' muck"

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November 16, 2008
Samata men rake up 'IB candidate' muck

By Parvaiz Bukhari in Srinagar

SEVEN Samata Party ( SP) candidates in the Jammu and Kashmir elections
accused on Tuesday their party leadership of " luring them with money"
to contest the polls at the behest of " intelligence agencies". Their
statement (MAIL TODAY has recorded it) adds fuel to the recent
controversy that the huge voter turnout in the last six phases of the
seven- tier polls was stagemanaged by intelligence agencies.

SP has fielded 14 candidates in the state, 13 of them from Kashmir and
one from Jammu ( Vijaypur).

The seven, who made the allegation, are living in Royal Palace hotel
near Dalgate under tight security provided by the government.

The SP candidates said their mission was to bring out " committed
voters", but they decided to blow the lid since the money promised to
them was not delivered.

The SP's state president M. Y. Naikoo approached Wali Mohammad Khan,
who since 1978 was the chief organiser of the Congress Seva Dal in
Kashmir until elections were announced. Naikoo " promised" Khan Rs 5
lakh to contest from the sensitive Amirakadal segment.

"He ( Naikoo) told me that half the money would be paid before filing
the nomination and the other half immediately after that. But nothing
has been given so far," Khan said on the eve of the last phase of
polls.

"Naikoo is absconding and I suspect he is also an IB ( intelligence
bureau) agent, like those who have fielded so many independent
candidates," he alleged.

The allegations combined with others of direct and indirect coercion
by Army in some areas during the six phases may not explain the record
voter turnout. It is also a reality that people in Kashmir have defied
the separatists' poll boycott call.

National Conference president Omar Abdullah have indirectly raised
doubts over the number of Independent candidates - 468 in total - in
the polls. " Delhi is dividing people by putting up Independents from
every nook and cranny in Kashmir," he said.

"I wanted to stand in the election. But when I saw some people, who
for years have been working for IB, jumping into the fray, I took a
step back," said a young politician, corroborating Abdullah's fears.

Khan is not alone in the confession box. There are three others in his
group - Nazir Ahmed, Mohammad Altaf and Gurmeet Singh - who made
similar damning revelations. But they differ in their approach to deal
with their worries.

Khan is now worried he too would be " perceived" by his supporters as
an IB agent, which could spell trouble for him in Kashmir.

The state's chief electoral officer B. R. Sharma said Naikoo should
respond to the allegations. He said the party is not registered in the
state but " the election commission has allowed these candidates the
privilege to use the party symbol". The candidates said " Jitender
Biduri, the SP general secretary, came to the hotel and promised Rs 5
lakh to each of us in the presence of Naikoo". Biduri denied the
allegations.

"All of them have joined the party voluntarily," he said.