Voters rally for Statehood & restoration of Art 370 rights
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By sameer
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01 Jan 1970
Srinagar, Sept 25: In the assembly elections held across three districts of the Kashmir Valley, including Srinagar, polling stations witnessed brisk activity during the early morning hours, particularly on the outskirts of the city. Long queues formed as voters expressed their demands for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood and the reinstatement of Article 370, alongside calls for job security and improvements in basic amenities.
The abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, which revoked the region's special constitutional status and downgraded it to a Union Territory, emerged as the central issue for voters in various localities.
Bashir Ahmad Mir, a local resident from Palpora Srinagar, emphasized that the elections represent an opportunity to reclaim their pre-2019 status. “We are voting today to demand our rights back. The removal of Article 370 has stripped us of our identity. We want it restored, and we want our statehood back. We are no longer satisfied with being a Union Territory. This election is a chance to elect leaders who will raise their voices for us,” he stated.
Mir further expressed that the people of Jammu and Kashmir had not been consulted in the decisions affecting their future. “We have suffered for the past six years, and no one has heard our pleas. We want to take revenge by voting today in large numbers and regain our dignity,” he added. “Article 370 was a shield for our rights. It was not just a political provision; it was part of who we are as Kashmiris. Its removal has left us feeling betrayed. We cast our votes today in the hope that this injustice will be corrected.”
Mohammad Sultan Reshi, a resident from Gund Hasi Bhat, noted that it has been six years since J&K was bifurcated into two Union Territories. “We are supporting candidates who pledge to fight for the restoration of both. This election is not just about roads and electricity—though those are important—but the core issue for us is the return of Article 370 and statehood. We want leaders who will take these demands seriously and work towards bringing them back.”
Reshi stressed that their votes were not merely for candidates but for the future of Jammu and Kashmir. “This is about reclaiming what was taken from us in 2019. We will not stop demanding the return of Article 370 and statehood,” he affirmed.
Jehangir Ahmad, another voter at Mujgund Polling Station, added, “Jammu and Kashmir has been downgraded from state to Union Territory. We want back our statehood, Article 370, and the revocation of FIRs against youth. We aim to bring positive change through this vote.”
Voting for the second phase of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir was held on Wednesday, with over 2.5 million eligible voters sealing the fate of 239 candidates across 26 constituencies in six districts of the Union Territory.
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