Shopian surprise

Walking through this small township inside south Kashmir can be a trip wire. Ask the men in uniform and they would agree. But Sunday saw a b...

Walking through this small township inside south Kashmir can be a trip wire. Ask the men in uniform and they would agree. But Sunday saw a blissful change, the Army looked cagey but the scare among the voters in Shopian was surprisingly missing.

Better known for poll boycotts, Shopian notched up an unexpected 50 per cent turnout in today8217;s civic polls.

Outside the polling booths, where terror even kept the political parties away, one could see long queues of voters waiting for their turn.

8216;8216;We have come out to vote today because we want development of our area,8217;8217; says Fahmeeda Bano, who was waiting for her turn outside a booth. 8216;8216;This area has been neglected by every government. So we decided to choose our own representatives.8217;8217; Five wards of the Shopian Municipal Committee SMC 8212; out of total 13 wards 8212; went to vote. Seven candidates have already been elected unopposed in the town while at one place no candidate filed his nomination.

8216;8216;We are not scared,8217;8217; says Haroon Ahmad 23 who cast his vote for the Congress candidate. 8216;8216;Why should we be? It is a local election meant for solution of our civic problems.

In spite of the tight security arrangements throughout the town 8212; which in past has seen violence during the elections 8212; the civic polls passed off peacefully. No incident of violence was reported from the town.

Women voters made the most of the day. At a polling booth in the sericulture office of Shopian, scores of veiled women were anxiously waiting for their turn. 8216;8216;We women are facing the problems,8217;8217; says a 25-year-old woman voter. 8216;8216;We vote today, to seek an end to our miseries. We have suffered a lot in the absence of the civic amenities.8217;8217;

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The town has always kept away from the polls but this time around a record 49.9 per cent of votes were registered in the five wards of the town, which went to polls. The voter turnout in the town during the parliamentary elections held last year was less than 5 pc.

8216;8216;Shopian boycotted the Assembly and parliamentary elections on the call of separatists,8217;8217; says a resident who cast his vote today. 8216;8216;These elections are different and are no way connected to the Kashmir issue. It is held for the resolution of our day to day problems.8217;8217;

A college student, however, accused the government of bringing mobile voters. 8216;8216;Look at them. Why are they all veiled?8217;8217; he asked.

Bashaarat Masood

Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter. Expertise and Experience Two Decades of Frontline Reporting: Bashaarat has spent 20 years documenting the evolution of Kashmir, from high-intensity conflict and political shifts to socio-economic development. Award-Winning Investigative Journalism: He is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award (2012). This honor was bestowed for his reporting on the Pathribal fake encounter, a series of stories that highlighted his ability to handle sensitive human rights and security issues with investigative rigor. Specialized Beats: His authoritative coverage spans: Political Transitions: Tracking the shift from statehood to Union Territory, electoral dynamics, and the pulse of local governance. Security & Conflict: Providing nuanced reporting on counter-insurgency, civil liberties, and the impact of the conflict on the civilian population. Development: Documenting the infrastructure, healthcare, and educational landscape within the Valley. Academic Background: He holds a Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir, providing him with a localized academic and professional foundation that is rare in regional reporting. ... Read More