Parliament dismisses motion on Democrats intimidation claims
Both the Elections Commission and government have denied the accusations.
By
Mohamed Muzayyin Nazim
Parliament on Wednesday dismissed an emergency motion accusing the government of intimidating people who have signed up to The Democrats, a breakaway party led by MDP president Mohamed Nasheed.
In the vote on Henveiru West MP Hassan Latheef's motioin:
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33 members voted against
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16 members voted in favour
In the motion, Hasan Latheef said accused the government of illegally obtaining the party's membership details from the Elections Commission after they filed for registration on Thursday. Government functionaries have been contacting them and threatening them, he said.
"The government is running this large scale. Government ministers, heads of state-owned companies and those holding various positions in the government are indulging in this dirty act," the resolution said.
The motion says:
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Government functionaries have been calling party members and enquiring whether they have applied for a government housing scheme or if they children have applied to government-run student loan schemes
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If they want to keep their children in government or in a state-owned company jobs, they should withdraw their signature with The Democrats
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Signatories are also being asked to tell the EC that the signature made on The Democrats membership form was not theirs
Both the Elections Commission and government have denied the accusations.
