Spirit of Democracy in J&K

The first phase of polling in Jammu and Kashmir has evoked a massive response from the people.It can be gauged from the voter turnout in the Union Territory. Approximately 59% voter turnout has been reported. Chief Election Officer PK Pole has said that polling was conducted peacefully in 24 Assembly constituencies out of 90.Kishtwar has given a surprise with highest turnout of 77 %. The Rising Kashmir has been repeatedly asserting in these columns that this year’s Assembly Elections are slated to give different outcomes. The reason being the presence of multiple players on ground due to the situation that has emerged. No doubt the mainstream political parties of Kashmir, National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party are contesting against each other to maintain their political space but this competition won’t stop here. Before the polling started there was a declaration of a tacit alliance between National Conference and Congress in terms of seat sharing. On the other hand BJP is playing its cards safely. During the Lok Sabha Elections, it did not field any candidate from Kashmir. Perhaps it was meant to send a signal that it wants to keep its doors open for any eventuality in the Assembly Elections. A lot of analysis is being done to decode the political stratagem of BJP in Kashmir. After fielding independent candidates by the Jamaat-e-Islami and Engineer Rashid’s party to cash on the gains made during the Lok Sabha Elections; there is speculation that these candidates may emerge as the game changers. The reason being that political polarisation. With these new players accusing the traditional mainstream parties of Kashmir of bringing Kashmir on the brink and these mainstream parties accusing these new formations and individuals as the proxies of the ruling dispensation at the centre, things have become interesting. Remember that the Prime Minister too had accused the political families of Kashmir and Congress of destabilising Kashmir and providing Pakistan ample ground to patronise terrorism. On the other hand there are expectations among the voters as they want the end of their miseries. This can be gauged from the mood of the internally displaced Kashmiri Pandits who are known as “Migrants” in the administrative parlance. They have been gripped by a paradox. On the one hand they came out to cast their votes in exile in the Jagti camp and other areas in Jammu but at the same time rued that casting of vote in the last 35 years have not solved their issue of genocidal attrition and the successive governments have failed to frame a comprehensive policy for their return and rehabilitation. It is pertinent to mention that the premier Kashmiri Pandit organisation, Panun Kashmir has given a boycott call so that the community’s demands are addressed. It seems that the Kashmiri Pandit voters have internalised the message given by the boycott call and want that their issues must be sorted out. Otherwise their voting is as meaningless as ever. This is the beauty of democracy that enables all sections of the society to vent out their expressions. This can be seen in today’s polling. Now the eyes are focussed on the second phase of polling. The first phase has proved that people have issues with the governance but still they have faith in democratic system. This is the spirit of democracy and people of Jammu and Kashmir have upheld it amid all challenges. Jammu and Kashmir is celebrating democracy and is marching ahead to achieve new horizons.