The people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir were made to go through yet another farcical exercise staged by India in the name of so-called local bodies’ elections. The elections held after a gap of 13 years in the disputed territory were marked by violence and historic low turnout. Major political parties including PDP and National Conference mostly referred as mainstream parties had boycotted the elections, which they said was nothing but a mockery of democracy. In Kashmir valley, the people as usual choose to stay away from the polls as they believe that these elections, held under the shadow of gun, won’t help them in any way to come out of the messy situation they have been trapped in for last several decades. As per the reports poured in from Srinagar, the voting turnout was recorded as 3.2 per cent in south Kashmir’s Islamabad district, whereas, the capital city witnessed a lower turnout of just 1.8 per cent. The other districts of the valley, too, witnessed a poor voter response barring a few frontier villages in the North where brisk polling was witnessed in some areas. The JRL comprising Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik in a statement issued in Srinagar said, “The leadership deeply appreciates and commends people for the political maturity and commitment to the cause of self-determination shown by them in a comprehensive boycott of this sham election.” The leaders said, “This coercive and harassing exercise of so-called elections, where candidates, polling areas and even polling stations were undisclosed by the ruling authorities, where scores of secret candidates were chosen unopposed was mainly carried out at this time, to help the BJP in its electoral prospects in India next year and to thrust the party on people of the Kashmir.” The rejection of election ploy by more than 95 percent people they said was a clear indication of Kashmiris’ complete alienation from India.
India, notwithstanding the ground realities, has been holding such kind of farcical poll exercises in the disputed region from time to time with a view to create a false impression at international level regarding the situation in Kashmir. The poll exercise held amidst of massive military presence in the region is portrayed by New Delhi as a democratic process to let the people chose representatives of their own choice but in reality it is the Indian army that calls shots on the ground in Kashmir. Pertinently, the recent Municipal elections were shrouded in mystery with a complete information blackout about the candidates and the political parties they represent. Arab News reported that out of the 598 wards in the valley, candidates in 244 have been declared the winners uncontested. This was perhaps for the first time that the candidates were identified by a number instead of their names and they have not canvassed for votes for even a single day.
Extremely low voter turnout, shut down, boycott on the other hand is a clear indication of what the JRL leadership termed as complete alienation of people of Kashmir from India. Ironically, New Delhi seems reluctant to acknowledge and recognise these changes sweeping across the disputed territory. Kashmiris’ boycott of so-called local body elections is in fact a peaceful, democratic verdict against India, which at the same time demonstrates their unflinching faith and commitment to achieve their political right, promised to them by United Nations. It is time that New Delhi should respect the Kashmiris’ verdict and accept the bitter reality that it can not befool Kashmiris and the international community by staging such kind of election dramas in the region.