Peace initiatives encourage Kashmiris for high voter turn out: Analysts

Abid Gani Wani

Srinagar, November 28: At a time when the higher voter turn out in the elections are seen as a vindication for the claims made by the mainstream political parties in the Kashmir valley, the imposition of the undeclared curfew on the election day by the authorities justify the stand of the separatist leaders who termed poll process as a “farce election after converting Kashmir into a cantonment”.

 “Both the claims are justified partly as the way there has been voting and boycott campaigns side by side in the two phases of assembly elections in the Kashmir valley as is visible from the mood of people”, said a political analyst, pleading anonymity.

He said that the brisk polling in the two phases can not be ruled out but the way and circumstances which resulted in the good voter turn over are many and diverse.

“In some places, the voters cast their votes for governance and development and on other places voters in order to revenge their earlier elected representative who had betrayed them,” he said.

He said that the people who boycotted 2002 assembly elections came forward for voting as the boycott had made them to pay heavier price by bringing to power those people who were elected for the legislative assembly from their respective constituencies.

 “There was a particular frame of mind among the voters about the local unity rather than about the state which is clear indication about the election being oriented towards the development progress of the constituencies rather than for strengthening the fabric of the democratic set up,” said analyst.

Gul Mohammad Wani another political analyst talking to this newspaper said that the positive response to the poll process is the outcome of the peace process going on in the south-east Asia.

 “The peace process to resolve the Kashmir dispute both at national and international level has created such an ambiance and the higher voter turn out is the product which has come to the fore,” wani said.

Wani said that although there was bitterness in the relations with the eruption of Shri Amarnath Shrine board land row which created an apprehension in Kashmiri minds, there is still a hope alive in the heart of the people about the peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue.

“The election is centrally as well as fundamentally connected with the peace process and this has played an important role in moulding minds of the Kashmiri’s for going for the polls,” Wani said.

Wani said that the resistance in some quarters is an after-effect of the SASB, which has cultivated a bitter experience among the youths.

“The other thing connected with the resistance is that the people in the Kashmir valley have not yet come out of the shock of the Amarnath agitation, and that the decision of Election Commission of India announced to go ahead with the election has added fire to the fuel and forced people to show resistance against the elections,” Wani added.