Hidayatullah Khan Alleges Poll Disruption Ahead of Results, Democracy Was Mocked for Two Hours
Jamshedpur, February 25: Two days before the declaration of results for the Jugsalai Municipal Council elections, Hidayatullah Khan addressed a press conference alleging attempts to disturb communal harmony and disrupt the polling process held on February 23.
Khan said the press conference was called on an urgent basis following the completion of voting on February 23. He claimed that certain BJP leaders made baseless allegations and attempted to create unrest in the area. “The kind of allegations being made are an attempt to disturb the peace of our society,” he said, adding that Jugsalai has always been known for communal harmony where people from different communities live together peacefully.
Referring to an incident at St. John’s School polling booth, Khan alleged that the voting process was disrupted for nearly two hours. According to him, a group of people created a ruckus, leading to a temporary halt in polling. “For nearly two hours, the election process was affected. Democracy was made a mockery,” he said.
Khan further alleged that several individuals present at the booths were outsiders. He questioned whether BJP district leaders were residents of Jugsalai, claiming that Election Commission guidelines clearly state that people from outside the constituency should leave the area during polling. “District leaders were seen at several booths. We have video footage of this,” he said.
He stated that the administration later intervened and handled the situation with restraint. According to him, a person without an identity card was found outside one of the booths, following which local residents objected and handed the individual over to the police. He described the incident as minor but accused the opposition of exaggerating it to level false allegations.
Khan also mentioned another incident on Dharamshala Road, also known as Gaddi Mohalla, where he claimed polling was delayed by 45 minutes to an hour. He said that after leaving St. John’s School, certain individuals went to Dharamshala Road and again attempted to create disturbances.
He claimed that despite these disruptions, he did not demand additional polling time as there were no long queues at the time of closing. “If people had been standing in queues, I would have requested the district administration for extra time. But that was not the case,” he said, adding that polling concluded at 5 pm with the administration acting wisely and patiently.
Khan further alleged that there was a plan to repeat incidents similar to those that occurred during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. However, he praised the local administration for preventing any major escalation this time.
Addressing allegations against him, Khan denied entering any polling booth unlawfully. He said that while his wife visited certain booths to check whether polling was proceeding smoothly, he remained outside. “I have not entered any booth. I was outside. People gathered to meet me, and someone took a photograph. That image is now being circulated with wrong intentions,” he said.
He also responded to claims that he was seeking political positions, including a possible nomination to the National Minority Commission. Khan said such statements were misleading and urged the Jharkhand government and the Election Commission to take note of what he described as false propaganda.
During the press conference, Khan also made serious allegations about threats to local businessmen. He claimed that a “most wanted criminal,” allegedly being searched for by the administration, was threatening traders in the area. According to Khan, the threat was that businesses would be shut down if they did not vote for a particular candidate and his wife. He did not name the individual but urged authorities to investigate the matter.
Khan emphasized that his political movement has always been peaceful and inclusive. “Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians live together here. We believe in unity and peaceful elections,” he said.
The Jugsalai Municipal Council elections were held on February 23 amid tight security arrangements. The results will be declared on February 27. Khan expressed confidence in the electorate’s decision and reiterated his commitment to maintaining peace and communal harmony in the region.
As the counting day approaches, political activities have intensified in Jugsalai, with candidates and their supporters closely monitoring developments. The administration has assured that all complaints and allegations related to the polling process will be examined as per rules.
Khan appealed to residents to remain calm and not be influenced by what he termed “false narratives.” He said the people of Jugsalai are aware of the truth and will give their verdict through the ballot.
