People hope DDC elections will usher in development
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Dec 16: Despite sub-zero temperatures, the seventh phase of District Development Council (DDC) elections recorded around 40 percent polling with people at certain places making huge queues outside polling stations while staying away at other places.
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Kashmir valley recorded polling percentage of 39.52% in the 7th Phase of DDC elections as voting was held in 13 DDC constituencies in Kashmir where 148 candidates were in fray and 1068 Polling Stations were set up for smooth conduct of elections.
The voting percentage in Pulwama was recorded at 11.06, Baramulla 59.53%, Kulgam 17.98%, Shopian 6.55%, Anantnag 22.46%, Bandipora 70.47%, Ganderbal 53.69%, Kupwara 59.23% and Budgam 45.11%.
The security around the Polling Stations was tight as Police and para-military security forces were deployed yesterday morning for smooth conduct of polls. The Army in these areas was providing area domination to prevent militants from disrupting the poll process. Police had also rounded up the stone pelters to prevent them from disrupting the poll process.
Braving the bone-chilling cold, voters in border district Kupwara queued outside polling stations to cast their vote.
Mohammad Akbar, a voter from Chandigam Lolab of Sogam in Kupwara district said that he came to vote for the development of the area. “I have come here to vote for a good and honest person who will bring development to our area. Our area lacks proper roads, water and other things. I want people to choose a leader who will end the development deficit in our area”, he said.
A first time voter from the same area said that they want a local leader who resolves their problems and works for people of the area. “We have deficiency of basic facilities like proper roads, education and health. Our primary health centre is without doctors and roads are in bad shape. We want to change that by choosing an honest leader”, he said.
However, Abdul Majeed, a voter in the Sogam constituency said that the vote he cast is for the rights of people and restoration of Article 370. “Development will come but the special status snatched from the people of J&K must be restored,” he said.
Aziza Begum, 90, from Kupwara said that nothing has happened for the past 70 years and she is hoping that the DDC candidate she voted for will work for the development with a people-centric approach.
Umar Jan, DDC candidate from Kakapora in district Pulwama said that they want to defeat communal forces. “First of all, I want to congratulate the people of my constituency who have come forward to defeat the communal forces. We want a secular society wherein everyone can live together peacefully and people of Kakapora have come out today to strengthen the secular fabric”, he said.
Ghulam Qadir Mir, a voter from Ratnipora area of Pulwama hoped that candidate who is elected may work for the betterment of the area. “I have voted throughout my life, but have never received any benefits. This time I am hopeful that my vote will help a right person who will bring some positive changes”, he said.
In Pakistan based supremo of Hizbul Mujahideen’s village Soibugh in the outskirts of Srinagar, voters near his ancestral house in Beg Mohalla were in a queue to cast their ballot. Jehangeer Ahmad, 32, from Soibugh said that they used to boycott the vote but this time they have decided to cast their ballot.
“We have to understand that we should not waste our votes. This vote can be an agent of change. There are a number of problems as this area which has been neglected and we want these issues such as road, water and electricity to be resolved once for all. This area has been with the boycott, but this time, the effect of the boycott hasn’t been much. People are coming out and voting because these elections are all about development. This time over, we are hopeful that the candidates who will win will address our issues”, he said.
Another voter, Mushtaq Ahmad, 45, of Soibugh said that he has seen so many people coming and going and the situation has not changed for the area. “Despite living near Srinagar, we have seen nothing in the name of development so far. We saw PDP, NC, we saw everyone who used to promise stars but gave us nothing and the situation never changed for us. Today, we want to tell people that we have a say in everything, no matter what was done on August 5 last year-we have a say. We want our issues to be highlighted by the candidate who will be elected. We have to choose one; we have to repose our trust”, he added.
In Kokernag area of Anantnag large numbers of people came to vote. Abdul Salam Naikoo, of Takyabehram Shah Kokernag said: “I cast my vote keeping in view the injustice which was done to us last year after our special status was removed. I will choose a leader who will fight for our rights and help us to regain special status. I am voting for the restoration of Article 370.”
Abdul Salam Dar, DDC candidate from Munward area of Anantnag said that people encouraged me to contest the elections so that I can end the discrimination which my village has faced in the allocation of different developmental works.
“The nearby villages have received crores of rupees for different developmental works, while as my area received a meager amount. Moreover, I will end the practice of taking bribes from the poor while awarding different welfare scheme. My focus will be to uplift economically weaker sections of society,” he said.
Nadeem Ahmad, a resident of Anantnag, said that the promises of development and jobs during polls by the political parties, are all hoax. “You may have seen on social media, who are contesting elections, even their family members aren’t trusting them. How can others support them?” he asked.
And majority of the residents of South Kashmir’s Shopian district continued to stay away from the ballot, as according to them there is no trustworthy party or candidate who really can work for the welfare of the people.
Fayaz Ahmad, a resident of Shopian, said that they have given enough opportunity to almost all political parties but they do nothing after coming to power. “We have been hearing it all the time during elections, that casting vote will bring development, but nothing happens, they only make us fools every time”, he said.
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