The complaint was lodged in response to allegedly provocative statements made by the flamboyant Abdullah during an elections rally at the Government Degree College in the border Mendhar area of Poonch district in Jammu on May 19, 2024, which garnered widespread media attention.
Poonch is part of Anantnag Lok Sabha seat which is scheduled to go for polls on May 25 in the sixth phase of General Elections.
According to Shah's complaint, the NC chief made two particularly contentious remarks during his speech. Firstly, Abdullah suggested that lasting peace in the region is unattainable without initiating dialogue with Pakistan, citing the recent tragic killing of a sarpanch in Herpora, Shopian.
The BJP media incharge argued that such statements, especially in the context of election campaigning, risk legitimizing foreign influence over Indian electoral processes, a stance deemed unacceptable in any democratic framework.
The second point of contention involved the octogenarian Abdullah’s call for an international investigation into the killing of the sarpanch. Shah contended that this demand signifies a rejection of the Indian constitutional and legal system, fostering a narrative that undermines the country's sovereignty and the integrity of its institutions.
Shah's complaint emphasized that these actions starkly contradict the foundational principles of Indian democracy, which strive to maintain national sovereignty and territorial integrity. He urged the ECI to take prompt and appropriate legal action against the NC chief to protect the sanctity and integrity of the electoral process.
In a separate complaint, social activist Sheeraz Zaman from Kulgam has also filed a complaint with the ECI against Abdullah for his “anti-national” remarks in Mendhar.
Published 23 May 2024, 14:23 IST