Jammu, 21 October (H.S.): National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday defended the right to hold peaceful protests in a democracy and alleged that the Election Commission had worked to help a particular political party win elections.

He was responding to a question about RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's remarks that agitations aimed at regime change do not resolve fundamental problems and could become instruments of political interests, fuelling divisions in society rather than delivering solutions.

The most important thing is that India is a democracy, and the Constitution gives you the right to hold protests, as long as they remain peaceful. Therefore, that protest is taking place now,” Abdullah told reporters here.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar