Delhi dismayed over violence, low turnout in Kashmir bypoll
new delhi — The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said on Monday they were dismayed by the Sunday poll-related violence in Srinagar, when eight people lost their lives and scores were injured. The party said democracy is still the only way out for the troubled state of Jammu & Kashmir.
The two-day shutdown that the protesters in Srinagar have called for started on Monday.
On Sunday, eight people were killed in firing by security forces as things went out of control in the process of a parliamentary bypoll — an election conducted for a vacant seat during a government’s term of office — in Srinagar.
Political experts and parties were concerned that the voter turnout was a historic low of 7.14 per cent.
J&K chief electoral officer Shantanu said on Monday that he expected re-poll to be ordered in up to 100 polling stations, adding that Anantnag Lok Sabha seat in South Kashmir, where bypoll is scheduled for April 12, would pose a ‘bigger challenge.’
Sources said the authorities were not sure if Anantnag poll should be held at all, given the vitiated atmosphere.
The Srinagar seat had recorded
i am distressed to know that most of those who lost their lives were teenagers who were yet to understand the intricacies of the issues. Mehbooba Mufti, J&K chief minister
26 per cent polling in the 2014 general elections. The National Conference — a regional political party that supports the Opposition Congress Party — leader, Farooq Abdullah, contested for the seat on Sunday.
Abdullah has been a former chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir. He had lost the seat in the 2014 election. On Sunday, he was locked in a straight fight with ruling PDP’s (People’s Democratic Party ) Nazir Ahmad Khan, even though there were seven other fringe candidates in the fray.
As local residents began interrupting the election process, army was called out. The confrontation turned violent, resulting in deaths and injuries.
J&K chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed distress over the civilian killings, saying she was pained that most of them were teenagers who were yet to understand the intricacies of the issues.
“I am distressed to know that most of those who lost their lives were teenagers who were yet to understand the intricacies of the issues,” Mehbooba said in an official statement.
The BJP in Delhi said on Monday the leadership was shocked at the violence and the unnecessary loss of lives. Said a spokesperson, “Srinagar has an electorate of 1.3 million people. We are sure not all of them subscribe to violence.”
The Srinagar parliamentary constituency is a prestigious seat. In 1999, National Conference Party leader Omar Abdullah had defeated the present chief minister in the same constituency. The voter turnout then was 11.93 per cent, which too is not a great figure.
One of the reasons why voter turnouts are low in the area is precisely because a high turnout in a constituency like Srinagar would validate the election process, which may not suit the interests of a section of the protesters.
On their part, the protesters said the BJP government at the centre must review their policy in Kashmir, and they must show more sensitivity to the “long suffering people of Kashmir.”
Mehbooba Mufti said she has consistently held that peaceful means and not violence is the only way ahead in getting the state out of the present difficulties.
The previous lowest turnout in the prestigious constituency was 11.93 per cent in 1999 when Omar Abdullah had defeated Mehbooba Mufti in a straight contest.
Omar Abdullah said in his 20-year-political career he had never seen such a bad environment for elections. “They need not have held the polls just now.” He said the state administration had broken down. The state is in mourning.