Srinagar: National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah slammed the alleged deletions by the Election Commission from the voter rolls amid protests against CEC Gyanesh Kumar over the SIR exercise, but said people have begun to show “courage”, indicating that “change” is on the way.

Speaking at the fifth ‘Halla Bolle’ conclave at Srinagar, the three-time former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister criticised the chief election commissioner and said that no one has the right to remove an Indian citizen from the voter list.

“Everyone knew how people’s names were struck off the voter rolls. And then they casually say, ‘Well, we’ll see about it in the next election.’ When the Constitution of India gives you the right, as an Indian citizen, to vote, no one has the right to remove anyone from the list,” he said. “Yet they did it”.

“They selectively targeted and struck off Muslims. Look at the extent of it, even an eminent lawyer like Kapil Sibal was removed from the list. How many were struck off. Because their objective is: ‘We have to stay in power until eternity, and to do that, we need people who will do our bidding'”.

Abdullah, however, said winds of change have started to blow in the country and that the spirit of India remains very much alive.

“Courage is beginning to emerge among our people. Change will come. I am telling you, whether I am alive or dead, change is on the way. That wind has started blowing, whereby people’s authority will again emerge,” he said in response to a question about the SIR row and role of CEC Gyanesh Kumar during a question-answer session at the event.

The National Conference (NC) president said it is the people who formed this country from north to south and east to west, and it is these people who will make India great.

“And they have started showing it. And the Forward Bloc party is one of these wings that we have today that has started this movement. India is not dead. India is alive,” he said.

Abdullah said he was grateful that people and political parties have now started “rising up” and “refusing to accept this”.

“You saw it the day before yesterday in Mumbai. They held a massive protest. Yesterday, it was in Delhi,” he said, referring to the protests against the CEC and the SIR in Mumbai and Delhi.

“And look at that young woman, who stood tall and questioned them! Look at that girl who confronted a police officer when asked, ‘Where is your name? Where are your documents?’ She replied, ‘First show your badge so we know who you are!’, the former chief minister said, pointing to AISA national president Neha Bora.

Abdullah, however, lamented that the biggest mistake made during Nehru’s administration was not making the Election Commission completely autonomous.

“They should have made the Election Commission totally autonomous. It was a mistake, and we are suffering the consequences today. Had the Election Commission been autonomous, we would not be in this state today,” he said.

The NC chief said then Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government kept two members from the government and one from the opposition to select the Chief Election Commissioner.

“Tell me, when the majority of two is on one side, what can that single opposition leader do? Because the decision is made by majority. By using that majority, Modi appointed a secretary from his own department as the Election Commission’s chief. He is completely biased toward the BJP and works for Sangh,” Abdullah alleged.

The former Union minister said the “tragedy” is that the BJP has “forgotten” the Constitution that B R Ambedkar gave the country.

“The one we are meant to follow. Instead, they have sidelined Ambedkar. It is deeply tragic,” he added.