Muslims attacked on way to vote in Uttarakhand by-election

Law and order in the Manglaur assembly constituency turned sour on Wednesday, July 10, during the by-election after several Muslim men were allegedly attacked and turned away from voting.

The incident occurred in Libberhedi village in Uttarakhand. A video surfaced on the internet showing injured Muslim men being sent back from the polling booth without casting their votes after reportedly being severely beaten with sticks. Police personnel are also seen in the video.

Congress party candidate Qazi Muhammad Nizamuddin, who escorted the injured to the hospital, said that no ambulance came for the injured.

“Miscreants have been openly firing. This is the murder of democracy. There is also news of someone being injured. There was no ambulance or any other measures taken to take the injured to hospital,” Qazi told media persons.

Expressing concern, former Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat said it is a matter of serious situation.

“Bullets were fired. People were injured. Our candidate Qazi Nizamuddin staked his life to send them to the hospital for treatment. Such kind of incidents are also being reported from other places. Congress voters are being intimidated and stopped from reaching the booths. This is murder of democracy and a serious situation.” Rawat told PTI.

By-elections are being held in two assembly constituencies in Uttarakhand, including the Manglaur seat. The constituency previously represented by Sarwat Karim Ansari of the Bahujan Samaj Party(BSP) became vacant last year following his demise on October 30.

Qazi Muhammad Nizamuddin of Congress and Sarwat Ansari’s son Obedur Rehman, contesting from BSP, are the main contenders. BJP has fielded former Khatauli MLA Kartar Singh Bhadana for the by-poll.

Badrinath is the second constituency where the by-election is being held. Rajendra Singh Bhandari, who won the election on a Congress ticket, joined the BJP in March. Bhandari is contesting against Congress party’s Lakhapat Singh Butola in the Badrinath by-poll.

The ruling BJP has 47 MLAs in the seventy-member assembly. Congress, with 18, serves as the main opposition. BSP was reduced to one following Ansari’s demise. The remaining two members were independent candidates.