Kashmir Participation in Recent 16th Lok Sabha Election

It was quiet an afternoon

in the polling booth 18 of Srinagar city as presiding officer Altaf Hussein Bhatt smiled and said it is not that busy to ease his mind regarding the duty he was assigned by the government.

Outside the busy streets of Srinagar there were paramilitary forces who were looking pretty good with their job and were patrolling areas to make sure no hostility are announced within areas. Standing in line there were less than a expected voters who patiently walked in casted their votes and it was witnessed that out of 747 voters only 25 members performed their right to vote which was quiet disappointing but that called the day for Bhatt and his team.

Farooq Abdullah one of the prominent Member of Parliament walked early with his family and casted his vote in favour of democracy and while speaking to guardian he said it is going well and I’m feeling very good about it.

Although around India or rather say in other states of India stacks of vote were clinching the height but in Srinagar only quarter of local people thought of casting their vote which was quiet miserable and undemocratic.

It was during the time of nightfall a youngster who was only 17 old years old died because of his participation in violence between police and protestors.

Although the main reason to opt for violence was regarding Kashmir special status and many of the people feared that Hindu nationalist party might unturned the blaze of communalism which in turn would revive the days of riot and chaos.

It was evident that the wave of Modi was destroying all the political promise and strategic manifesto of Rahul Gandhi and Congress as he promised to bring justice to all and pledged to form honest government and intractable bureaucracy.

While there were huge appreciations going on regarding his better governance in Gujarat a critics flew around the core of Kashmir as number of people feared the chaos that happened during the time of Gujarat riot which inflicted violence upon Muslim community.

Samir Saran while sharing his thought put up a view that Muslim living here Kashmir is devoid by the guns of Pakistan and ever since India and Pakistan gained independence Border issues has been a main cause of lateral tension which surpassed the life of many innocent Muslims living here.

Many of the Muslim extremist and separatist asked for autonomous body and even cried for independence and during that hostile environment many extremist slept a night of death against their struggle with Indian national security forces and local police.

Many of the extremist family have boycotted 16^th Lok Sabha election and while justifying their reason many extremist leader spoke to media saying whatever they are doing, they are doing for Kashmir and Muslim community.

Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, head of the Awami Action Committee said Voting is decorum of democracy but when cultural, religious and social rights are curtailed without a reason than voting relates no meaning.

Gul Mohammed Wani, professor of political science at Kashmir University while sharing his thought questioned state government for not providing any jobs and security to local youths. Series of life threatening attack and serious bombarding has made Kashmir a real arena of battlefield and now it would be important to see how BJP would deal with this.

Role of BJP is almost nil in Kashmir and surroundings area and the primary reason behind such measures are dynastic rule. The Abdullah family have made their way and dominated the Kashmir politics nine time out of 11 elections.

Farooq further added primary reason behind less participation in BJP alliance by people of Kashmir is that they fear that it might amend the constitution which provides special status to Kashmir which in turn would lead to general violence.

Although Modi during his recent rally promised local people to lead the way and assured them that there would be no communal politics but a group of Hindu antagonist who promised to take avenge in polling booth have handed a baton of fortune to other parties.

Some of the senior BJP veterans have pointed that it is congress, which is very much responsible for preaching false secularism and have argued we are national party and we would never separate the vote in terms of communalism.  BJP have always called for no exception for specific communities and when it comes to practice politics it has looked to put nation first.

One of the basic calls that causing hindrance to yield their seeds in Kashmir grounds is ever since the call 1980 they have always oppose in giving Kashmir a special preference and this statement and policy have affected their measures.

It is very evident that local people are more concerned regarding internal development rather than border issues. Speaking to Media Sunana Kaul, a school teacher said that we are keen to see safe and strong government.

70-year-old Ghulam Qadir who has been voting from many decades confessed that he was not aware that he has an option to choose the government and said that anyone who oppose your measures and right are jealous and insecure.