Historic Voter Turn Out in Kashmir
P. L. KHUSHU
Highest Voter turn over in Kashmir after decades of exploitation by the dynastic rulers of Kashmir, is a pragmatic indication of the wetting of the abrogation of Article 370 and removal article 35A, by the people of Kashmir. It is seen as a step for their welfare and development, rather than embarking on the stone pelting and unnecessary boycotts and strikes. People of Kashmir have shown preference over the ballots over bullets. Stone pelting is a dream of the past. The hoax euphoria created by the commercial politicians of Kashmir with dynasty bases for decades, that Kashmir is a disputed territory and has acceded to India conditionally is now rusting under the mat, when it has died its own death perpetually, with the mass involvement of the people of Kashmir in the present elections. It is happening after decades of destruction and devastation of the militancy in Kashmir. There was a time when the poling percentage would never touch double figure in Kashmir and voting in such elections would often be boycotted. The dynastic politicians would make a hay with such low voting turn outs and boycotts, when they would carve out a space for themselves in such elections through proxy, as the wining candidates thus claiming themselves as the representatives of the people of Kashmir, when they were not so. This election has proved it.
The rut of talk to Pakistan, Pakistan is not wearing bangles , Pakistan has superior bombs and the like, often being talked about by a regional politician, belonging to a particular dynasty, having been ruling Kashmir ever since 1947 through the various lord heads of that family, from time to time as heir apparent legacies by birth, has been blunted with a brazen slap on the face of such a politician, by the voters of Kashmir by voting in bulk and in big clusters breaking all the records of the past in such elections. It is writing on the wall for all such politicians with dynasty bases to opt out from ruling Kashmir as their legacy and monarchy. Enough is now enough. Stop exploiting and blackmailing the voters for your personnel gains and benefits.
A major shift in the voting pattern is seen in Kashmir Valley after decades of unnecessary turmoil. The polling percentage has crossed all the previous records. People across the country are viewing it as a big choice of consent on the legality and need of the historic decision to abrogate Article 370.
While some polling booths saw huge and diverse crowds waiting in long queues amid tight security, others had a picnic-like atmosphere, enjoying as a big festival after a long break of more than four decades, of devastation and destruction with the onset of militancy in Kashmir. After a long wait people have now preferred the use of ballot to the futile use of the gun and that too from another country claiming to be well wishers of Kashmiri Muslims. BJP strategically choose to support regional parties, other than the dynasty based political parties, NC and PDP, with a single aim to afford enough opportunity to the local people of Kashmir to involve themselves in such elections with a full command and force, for deciding their own representatives to represent them in the Parliament of India. Equally BJP is yet to make its debut in the valley in its full form. It will take some time for BJP. National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which are still under the delusion of having the restoration of semi-autonomy in their campaigns, are the arc rivals in these elections. It magnifies their unholy aims and objectives to continue to exploit the people of Kashmir for their personal interest as dynastic political players claiming Kashmir as their hereditary soil and space to rule. They are still myopic in their visions and are trying to exploit the people again and again with the false catalogues of restoring the Article 370 back in Kashmir when the people have rejected them lock stock and barrel. Should they still not see the writing on the wall, that they are now a perpetual burden on the people of Kashmir? It is incumbent to mention here that these dynasty based political parties formed an alliance called as “Gupkar-Alliance”, when its formal name was People’s Alliance for the Gupkar Declaration’, when they said that “Our battle is a constitutional battle and we want the government of India to return to the people of the (erstwhile) state the rights they had before 5th of August 2019,”
Travesty of destiny, for the politics of Kashmir and its people , when the dynasty rulers have ruined the fate of Kashmir and its people for their dynastic interest, which is evinced again when NC and PDP have been have each other’s arch rivals in the present elections, ignoring the people of Kashmir and the promises made by them to the people of Kashmir, particularly in respect of Article 370 & 35A and the restoration of the status of Jammu and Kashmir to its original position, which is pre 5th August 2019 position. What a hypocrisy?. How long will they continue to befool the people of Kashmir? They are now a rejected lot, with such a hevey voter turnout in these elections.
Now such opportunist dynasty based political parties claiming inheritance over Kashmir are now attaching different shameful and useless reasons for such huge voter turnouts. They are with brazen faces attributing it again to the restoration of the Article 370, claiming that such representatives who will come as chosen one’s will fight hard for the restoration of Article 370.
Sensing a rebut by the people of Kashmir, for such utterances, a prominent of N.C leader was heard as saying that “I expected the percentage to be 70 per cent. I don’t know the reason why it was so low. People are so eager to express themselves and send their representatives to the Parliament.” Does it mean that while being in the parliament for the last five years why he failed to get Article 370 revoked, when he had the unholy support of the other political leaders of the I.N.D.I Alliance, of which he is supposed to be a leader of credit.
Oh, Grapes are Sour now for all such dynasty based political stooges who have misused Kashmir politics for their personal benefits and interests. The paradise like location of Gupkar for them is a key example in this regard. It is only a tip of an ice berg in this regard.
What does this increased voter turnout actually signify? Equally like in the past there has been no boycott Call from any side within or outside Kashmir.
These calls used to be a norm till recent times. It shows that the people of Kashmir want development and want to be permanent nationals of India which is vast country with bigger democratic values and opportunities for everyone. People of Kashmir are now feeling that they have wasted a long time with the hoax signals of Huriyat leaders, the fundamentalist elements claiming Kashmir to merge with Pakistan or to remain independent and follow Islamic ideology. The next hoax concept which was sold by the dynasty based political parties often to the people of Kashmir, was that Kashmir is disputed territory where in Pakistan is also a prominent player. They were doing so to exploit it for remaining in power perpetually. Apart from that of late these dynasties based political parties were bragging that they will get reversed the position of Jammu and Kashmir to its pre 5th August , 2019, position, as also get Article 370 restored. They lost their first battle with the Supreme Court of India upholding the validity of the abrogation of the Article 370. All such false inhibitions vastly professed by such elements as mentioned above are now the histories of past, when the people of Kashmir have understood that such hoax testaments are now examples of past.
Prime Minister Modi and the Home Minister Amit Shah, praised members of the Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency for the high turnout, which he called “significant and better than before.” “The abrogation of Article 370,” the constitutional clause granting Jammu and Kashmir special status “has enabled the potential and aspirations of the people to find full expression.”
This Lok Sabha Election 2024 has also seen an unforeseen participation of the Kashmiri Pandit displaced community from Kashmir valley. Perhaps for the first time Displaced KP voters in Jammu also joined this election for their native constituencies with intense passion and a lot of hope, for their rehabilitation back in Kashmir. There were lines at special polling stations from early mornings on polling days in scorching heat where temperatures had crossed 40 degree . This can be one of the major step in the direction of rehabilitation of the KP’s the forcibly displaced community of Kashmir, with the land of their ancestors. As such this election can prove a milestone for their return and rehabilitation process.
While the election results to be announced on the 4thJune-2024, the situation is abuzz across the country with the positive vibes and hopes that Modi Sarkar will again rule India, which under the circumstances is the need of the hour, both for national perspective as also for international scenarios. Modi has uplifted the image of India as a global force and India is now reckoned as a major player in deciding the international strategic power centers which otherwise was a monopoly of some countries only. India’s role in Russian- Ukraine war has been commendable and appreciated by these warring countries too.
China had to an humble pie while dealing with India during Modi’s rule of India, over border disputes with that country. America has forgotten to play a big brother role while dealing with India. India is now reckoned as a well grown economic country, when its position is going to touch the third place in world scenario of the economic growth of various countries, particularly of the west. India’s defense prowess is now of international standards and is a competitive player in this filed across the globe. India is now almost self sufficient in almost in all the fields of developments, including in the scientific developments and digital monitoring. This is all a charisma of Modi , when the return of Modi and his government in these elections is badly needed to make India a world power in all respects. It will equally smoothen and accelerate the burning issue of the honorable settlement of the forcibly displaced KP’s back to their own mother land Kashmir with honor and dignity. Let us hope that it happens with ease.
(The author of this article is a chartered consultant civil engineer, who loves his mother land the union territory of Jammu & Kashmir).