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Srinagar: At least three out of 29 employees red-flagged by the J&K police as “subversive/anti-national” elements in a letter to the Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited (MEIL) – which is executing the Ratle power project in Kishtwar – have been associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), The Wire can confirm. 

Some of these employees have been photographed with saffron party leaders including Kishtwar legislator Shagun Parrihar, who has been accused by the MEIL of sabotaging the 850-MW run-of-the-river power project in Drabshalla area of Kishtwar. 

J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah has also blamed Parrihar as well as Leader of Opposition and senior BJP leader Sunil Sharma of “meddling” in the power projects that have been fast-tracked by the BJP-led Union government after the reading down of Article 370.

The BJP leaders have denied the charges. 

Asif Hussain, who was appointed BJP Drabshalla general secretary, and Kashif Ali, Drabshalla’s minority mandal president, with BJP legislator Shagun Parrihar. Asif (in black jacket) figures as one of the “subversive/anti-national” individuals in the SSP Kishtwar’s letter. Photo: Author provided.

Parrihar has claimed that the letter by senior superintendent of police (Kishtwar) on November 1, which identified 29 MEIL employees as “subversive/anti-national” individuals, vindicated her party’s stand that the multi-billion rupee power project was under threat from terrorists and Pakistan.

The SSP’s letter urged the Hyderabad-based MEIL to reconsider the employment of these 29 employees, all residents of Kishtwar, noting that they could........

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