1st day, 1st show: no hit but surely not a flop

Even in Kupwara, considered to be the militants’ gateway to Kashmir. Voters brushed aside fears to walk to the polling booths. The story was the same in Sonawari and Tangmarg betraying a level of enthusiasm bettered only in the frontier areas of Keran, Gurez and Uri where turnout touched over 60 per cent.

Barring a few villages in Kupwara, where people were herded by security personnel to polling booths, most polling booths here were crowded with the day ending at a 53 per cent turnout.

In fact, the September 11 killing of Law Minister Mushtaq Ahmad Lone who was the National Conference nominee for the neighbouring Lolab constituency seemed to have little effect on polling.

‘‘There was no militant threat and also no coercion by security forces. It is my own choice to vote,’’ said Mohammad Akbar, a Kupwara resident. He admitted that a ‘‘security forces officer’’ told them ‘‘not to waste your vote’’ two days ago but said there was no pressure.

In fact, there were few complaints of Army coercion in Kupwara, Batergam, Gulgam, Trehgam, Kralpora, Harie, Warsun, Dardpore. Result: high voter turnout.

Much of the enthusiasm can be attributed to the Peoples Conference proxy candidates. When a group of around 50 youths raised slogans in favour of PC’s proxy candidate Ghulam Qadir Mir, a middle-aged man stood up and chanted slogans in favour of National Conference although he was clearly in a minority of one.

Mohammad Amin, 27, resident of Batergam village said he had voted for change and that people had come out to vote because ‘‘they want to get rid of the ruling National Conference.’’ Countered NC supporter Mohammad Maqbool: ‘‘PC is blackmailing the sentiments of people in the name of Azadi.’’

Kupwara’s example wasn’t exactly replicated across the Valley. When The Indian Express team reached Karihama, Dedikote, Pazipora and adjacent villages, people were seen being herded by security forces to polling booths. ‘‘They have asked us to vote and we have to abide by their directions. They will conduct a nail-parade in the evening to check if we have voted, if our nails are marked,’’ said a Karihama villager.

But soon, militants came knocking and began frisking those who had voted. ‘‘They will also check who has voted. We are caught between devil and deep sea,’’ was the villagers’ chorus. Later in the day, security forces and militants had a brief encounter in the same area.

Miles away, Sonawari defeated the widely perceived expectation that Kuka Parrey, the former militant and his battery of armed ‘‘counter-insurgents,’’ would flex their muscles. At Saderkote Bala and Payeen, as also in Hajin, which is Parrey’s bastion, villagers were seen walking freely to vote.

By 3 pm, the first two witnessed heavy polling— 677 out of 1508 and 654 of 1500 votes were cast with several more lining up.

At Saderkote Bala, an elderly man said he voted for the National Conference because he was ‘‘no longer afraid of anyone,’’ which according to Parray’s poll agent, was an oblique reference to the counter-insurgent leader. The polling agent admitted: ‘‘Five or six years ago, no one could dare to comment against Parray so openly.’’

Cross Pattan and you are in Tangmarg where voters turned out in good numbers in this high-profile constituency. Across Gulmarg, early morning voters talked of defeating ‘‘people who created obstacles in peace.’’

Ali Mohammad Dar, 65, defied a militant diktat to cast his vote at the polling booth in the primary school at his village Druroo. ‘‘I am voting so that the people who want to live in peace and harmony are elected and not people who put hurdles in the way of peace,’’ said Dar as he stepped out of the booth after casting his ballot.

Standing in the long queue of voters at 8.15 am outside the polling booth in Government Higher Secondary Institute, Chandilora Tangmarg, 61-year-old Mohammad Bhat waited for his turn to vote. ‘‘For the last 13 years, we suffered because of the wrong policies of earlier governments. But today I am voting for a new party that has promised to work with all people to bring peace.’’

Asked about militant threats, he dismissed this as bakwas. ‘‘These boys became militants because the NC government victimised them. I am sure they would want to live in peace when the new government takes office,’’ he said.