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Srinagar gives a thumbs down
to Election 2002

Sheela Bhatt in Srinagar

Srinagar observed a complete shutdown on Tuesday as the Valley voted in the second phase of assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir.

Shops were closed, roads remained deserted, security personnel were everywhere.

The dead look the town wore was a kind of a blunt message to the state authorities -- all's not well with Election 2002, not in Srinagar at least.

The enthusiasm of the first phase, when over 44 per cent of the electorate exercised its franchise, was missing on Tuesday except for in some parts Budgam and Ganderbal.

National Conference president and chief ministerial candidate Omar Abdullah is contesting from Ganderbal.

While the abysmally low voter turnout in Srinagar could easily be blamed on the All Parties Hurriyat Conference's bandh call and the all-pervasive threat of militant violence, it also indicated the alienation of Kashmir from the country's mainstream politics.

Till 1 pm only 15 voters had cast their ballot at the Kailaspura polling booth. And at 1.30 pm polling officials at Shergadhi told rediff.com that their booth had not yet recorded a single vote.

"No one will turn up," A R Vani, a People's Democratic Party candidate, said with a wry smile on his face.

"No one will vote here. It's so sad. Kashmiris feel ignored. The Government of India is refusing to talk autonomy with Kashmiris. A large number of people are agitated by the Central government's stubborn attitude. Many others hate the idea of voting because they know that the National Conference is likely to come back to power," a PDP worker said.

In the serpentine lanes and bylanes of Jama Masjid area boys played cricket. Gulzar Mohammad, who did not quite look 18, said: "Why should we vote? We are disenchanted. It's propaganda that fear of militant attacks prevents us from voting. We don't want to vote because we don't believe in India. Where is the fear? Look, we are playing cricket since morning."

At Kailaspura, G R Sofi, a polling agent of the ruling National Conference, looked nervous. "People are not coming to polling stations out of fear...."

Before he could complete the sentence, angry local residents formed a ring around him. A man in his twenties said: "This is not true. We are not voting because we want azadi. We don't want jobs. We don't want a railway station in Srinagar. Have a referendum. Ask us a single question -- do we want to live with India, Pakistan or independently? Each and every Kashmir will vote."

According to intelligence sources the voter percentage in Srinagar was as low as 3 to 4 %.

"We don't bother about Srinagar. In the countryside there has been 20% to 34% voting. It's satisfactory," Nazir Ahmed, a resident of Batmaloo said. "But Delhi must remember. The Kashmir issue will not fade away after the election. The new government means nothing to us," added another resident of the area.

Sheela Bhatt

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