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Journalism of Courage
There was a time when the best that could be hoped from polling in Kashmir was that it could be described as 8220;relatively peaceful8221;. Many things are still uncertain about the current round of elections: but one thing that appears certain is that those days are past, at least for now. Hundreds of candidates are contesting, many more than in the last, landmark elections; and now, in spite of the weather, a separatist boycott and all supposedly informed predictions of the public mood, turnout has been high.
Indeed, in two of the three districts in the Valley that went to the polls, the number of people turning out to vote was probably close to, if not more than, the number that did so in the 2002 elections. This is a moment to savour 8212; regardless of one8217;s opinion on the Valley8217;s past and destined future.
So, as we read reports of people lining up at the freezing dawn to exercise their rights, as we look at photographs 8212; chilly compositions, mixing the grey of dirty snow and the brown of old, patched phirans, but warmed by the expectant, unexpected hope in the voters8217; eyes 8212; perhaps a certain cautious optimism is justified. This is why, the objections of mainstream parties notwithstanding, postponing elections would have been a mistake. One day, Kashmir will be normal again; to hasten that day, the rest of India has to start treating it as normal whenever it can 8212; and we must never underestimate the drawing power of being able to fix drains.
