Indian elections:
Kashmiris show mixed response
INDIA: Four months after India-controlled Kashmir voted in
local elections, part of the region voted again Thursday in the Indian
general elections.
Jammu became the first Kashmiri constituency to participate in the
polling Thursday. Voting for five other seats in the region would take
place in the remaining four phases throughout the marathon elections.
Heavily influenced by the previous election when more than 60 percent
of voters cast their ballots, many separatists here were reassessing
their former boycotting strategy and began resorting to a reflexible
approach.
But the hardline faction of separatist alliance, Hurriyat Conference,
remained undeterred and called for a boycott again this time. So did the
militant alliance United Jehad Council.
But moderate camp distanced itself calling elections a non- issue,
and another separatist leader, Sajjad Lone, himself plunged into poll
fray, citing it was change of strategy, not ideology.
Like separatists, hardline or moderate, people on the streets are
sharply divided in opinion.
“Casting vote is treason. It is a joke with the blood of our
martyrs,” said Ali Muhammad, 56, a shopkeeper in downtown Srinagar. He
added that he would vote “only after Kashmir attains freedom.”
Shabir Ahmad Dar, 42, a government employee, from North Kashmir ‘s
Sopore town had similar views.
“We have nothing to do with elections. These are Indian elections,”
said Dar, adding that he did not vote in the region’s elections in 2008
either.
Abdul Samad, 50, a businessman from Baramulla said he voted in the
state elections in 2008, but will not vote in upcoming Indian general
elections.
“We have some local issues, and for those we voted in local
elections. But these elections are for Indian parliament, we have no
interest,” said Samad.
Some pro-New Delhi Muslim political activists here are, in contrast,
showing great enthusiasm to the polling. KASHMIR, Friday, Xinhua |