The Hindu : More protection for 'proxy' candidates

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Sep 01, 2002

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More protection for 'proxy' candidates

By Harish Khare

New Delhi Aug. 31. The Centre is believed to have taken extra precaution to ensure the physical safety of "proxy candidates'' in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. It seems to have become alert to the new element of some activists of the People's Conference entering the electoral fray.

At least four candidates in the Kupwara district are deemed to be "former'' members of the People's Conference. The leader of the People's Conference, Abdul Gani Lone, was assassinated at a public meeting only a few months ago. Though the party continues to maintain its nominal membership of the All-Party Hurriyat Conference, it is fairly well known that the Lone brothers, Sajjad and Bilal, hold pro-Pakistan elements within the Hurriyat as having conspired in the assassination of their father.

The Centre, therefore, is reported to have realised that these "proxy candidates'' would need to be protected because they have courageously entered the fray risking intimidation, threat or coercion from the agents of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, the Hurriyat-controlled mujahideen groups and the National Conference "hot-heads." Ashok Bhandari, Special Secretary in the Union Home Ministry, is already in the Valley.

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