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Informist, Tuesday, Sep 24, 2024

 

SRINAGAR – Preparing to finish off his meal at a restaurant in Lal Chowk, Nayeem Ahmad is not really enthused about the ongoing Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, but says he will cast his vote. Unlike many others in the Valley, he has accepted that neither Article 370 of the Constitution nor the former state's special status will be restored. Many others in the area, too, have accepted the reality and made up their minds to cast their votes.

 

Employment is a problem in Jammu and Kashmir and a major election issue. Ahmad said the youth of Kashmir are not as educated as those in other parts of the country due to conflicts the region has witnessed over the years. "They can't compete with the youngsters of other states as we don't have proper education facilities here. So, everyone is worried about the future of children. The government should have given thought to this aspect before abrogating the special status," Ahmad said.

 

With Srinagar set to vote on Wednesday, campaigning in the city ended on Monday. Until last week, the weekly Sunday market in the upscale Residency Road showed few signs of the elections having returned to the Valley after a decade. It was business as usual, with tourists taking pictures of the famous Clock Tower and children playing at the fountain adjacent to the tower at Lal Chowk. The only noticeable difference was the heavy deployment of security forces at every corner--armed Central Reserve Police Force personnel standing every 10 mtr or so--which served as a reminder that Jammu and Kashmir is home to one of the longest-running conflicts in the world.

 

The mood was slightly different in the interior of the city, with anger over the scrapping of Article 370 more than apparent. Downtown, which saw plenty of disturbances before the abrogation of Article 370, is one of these areas. It was devoid of any party flags and loud speakers atop auto-rickshaws or taxis. The signs of an election campaign, which are normal in any other part of the country were missing.

 

The people, too, are reluctant to speak about the elections. An elderly man, Aftab (name changed), sitting alone at his shop, was cajoled into a friendly chat about the abnormally hot and humid weather. "There is anger against the abrogation of Article 370. People are silent out of fear here. It shouldn't be misjudged as acceptance," he said. There is an insecurity among people that their jobs and resources will be taken by outsiders. "We are concerned about the future of our children," he said.

 

"Jinko (vote) dena hoga, vo denge. Hum to nahi denge (Those who want to vote, they will. But I will not)," said a man in his 20s, refusing to divulge his name. "If you quote my name, I will be picked up tonight," he said, staying silent when asked who will 'pick him up'. "What is left for us here? Everything has been snatched from us. What do we have to do with the elections now," he said.

 

The sentiment in Downtown was in stark contrast to the resilience seen in Lal Chowk. "Can Article 370 be restored? I don't think so. There won't be any special status now. We have to live like the rest of India, then why shouldn't we take part in elections? I will cast my vote and many others will also go. Many people in the Valley have accepted this reality," said Nayeem Ahmad at Lal Chowk.

 

The voter turnout is expected to be high, with Ahmad pointing to Jamaat-e-Islami's decision to support its members contesting elections as independents. "Earlier, it was organisations like Jamaat which boycotted elections. Now they are contesting indirectly and supporting the candidates. This has also changed people’s mindset here," Ahmad said.

 

Moving out of Srinagar and heading towards South Kashmir, a panoramic view of the saffron fields of Pampore and apple orchids in Kulgam, Pulwama, and Anantnag are a common sight. It is the harvest season and people are working overtime to pluck the fruits and pack and load them in trucks. These districts were the hotbed of militancy in the recent past, with 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel killed in Pulwama in 2019.

 

In Bijbehara, Anantnag, 50-year-old Nadeem and 60-year-old Mehraj run a small general store. Amid their concerns about the abrogation of Article 370, there is also an admission of some benefits, such as the welfare schemes of the central government. "We have started getting ration regularly. And the biggest benefit is the health card. With the help of health card, we can get ourselves treated at private hospitals at almost no cost. This has been very helpful to poor people here," Mehraj said. Nadeem sees the Bharatiya Janata Party getting some votes here, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi popular among the senior citizens thanks to schemes such as pension for the elderly.  End

 

Reported by Kuldeep Singh

Edited by Aditya Sakorkar

 

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