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Journalism of Courage
The four constituencies in the border district of Rajouri saw over 70 per cent voting on Sunday as people streamed into polling booths — walking 4-7 kilometres and ignoring separatist calls for a boycott — to cast their ballot. Apart from clashes between supporters of two groups at some places, there was no report of any violence.
At all the four seats — Darhal, Nowshera, Kalakote and Rajouri — the turnout was much more than last time. “The mood was like that at a mela,” said SSP Rajesh Bhat.
“I have come to cast my vote to ensure welfare of eveyone… Sab sukhin ho, sab ek saath rahen, ek hi sarkar bane…”, said 90-year-old Kaka Ram, after casting his vote at a government primary school in Sunderbani in Nowshera. Garib Dass, standing nearby, had walked for over two hours across the hills to vote.
The voters hoped the exercise would bring a change in their lives. “We expect employment from the new Government and of course development,” said two 20-year-olds.
A group of Gujjar Bakerwals who had trekked 7-8 km to polling stations in Nowshera were dismayed to know that their names were not on voters’ lists. “There are nearly 8,000 votes of Gujjars and Bakerwals but they have not been given any document. How they can vote?” said Rohit Kohli, agent of a party.
Nowshera SDM Manjit Kour, however, insisted that such cases were isolated.
