Hyderabad: Activists in fray facing threats from politicos
Mohd Abdul Irfan; Dr Lubna Sarwath
Activists in GHMC poll fray are increasingly facing hostile reception during election campaigns in divisions. While in some instances, rival groups with political clout are allegedly engaging henchmen to counter their presence in wards, in others the police are outrightly rejecting election campaign permissions for the candidate.
In the latest incident, Dr Lubna Sarwath, former convenor of SOUL (Save Our Urban Lakes) who is contesting from Asif Nagar (ward 72), lodged a complaint with police following Wednesday's incident in which she was allegedly threatened by henchmen from a political party.
She also urged the TS Election Commission, Women Commission to initiate necessary action. "MIM party persons threatened and disallowed a contesting candidate who was on election campaign in Asif Nagar ward. My team of five people and I had to return home cutting our campaign short, as they were following us wherever we halted to campaign," she said in the complaint.
Recalling the statement of the Chief Minister that 'anti-social elements will be crushed with an iron hand', she urged the Chief Minister to act against these political goons who are posing a threat to the democratic process of the State. "I am awaiting action from the CMO," she added.
Earlier Lubna, Social Party's state general secretary, had contested for MP (Hyderabad) and MLA (Karwan) seat in 2014 and 2018 respectively, but she never faced a situation like this.
In another case on November 21, Mohammed Abdul Irfan, Congress candidate from Lalithabagh (36), lodged a written complaint with Returning Officer of Lalithabagh under Chandrayangutta that he received threats from local AIMIM and TRS leaders of the ward.
"Take necessary action against TRS and AIMIM leaders for threatening me with dire consequences, during my election campaign. They had warned me that if I come out for the election campaign they would see my end," he wrote. The copy was also forwarded to ACP Falaknuma by Returning Officer for necessary action.