AMID MILITANT THREATS, PARTS OF J&K RECORD BIG POLL TURNOUT
JAMMU/SRINAGAR: People in the Jammu region turned out in strength to cast their votes on Saturday, but the turnout was mixed in the Kashmir valley where the first phase of polling in the panchayat elections took place amid heavy security and under the shadow of a separatist call for a shutdown strike.
Overall voter turnout in the first phase was 74.1%. Seven districts in Jammu, six in Kashmir and two in Ladakh went to the polls on Saturday, starting a ninephase election that will conclude on December 11. These are the first panchayat elections in J&K in seven years.
No incident of violence was reported from anywhere in the state, where the separatist Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) had called for a shutdown strike in the valley and a boycott of the panchayat elections. Although people did turn up to vote, a complete shutdown was observed in the valley, with traffic staying off the roads. The seven districts of Jammu that went to the polls on Saturday recorded a healthy turnout. Kishtwar district, which witnessed the recent killing of BJP leader Anil Parihar and his brother Ajeet Parihar, recorded 77% polling.
He said the ruling BJP was demolishing institutions, spreading hatred, dividing people on religious lines, changing names of cities and playing the Ayodhya card.
“Ram and Allah do not dwell in mandir or mosque. They are inside our hearts but the BJP thinks it can come back to power by whipping up religious emotions,” he said.
Abdullah said the ruling party had misled people with its promise of putting Rs 15 lakh each in the account of every voter. “But they did not tell them about GST or demonetization. The decision was taken overnight by the ‘Lordship’,” he said referring to the PM.
Abdullah said electronic voting machines should be shunned and elections should be held with the old ballot paper system. “
“When I was chief minister, a team of election commission officials showed us how EVMs functioned. When my education minister asked them can these machines be used to cheat? They said yes,” he pointed out saying that EVMs could not be trusted for a free-and-fair election and cited the example of Singapore, which had refused use of EVMs in its elections.
KASHMIR SOLUTION
On finding a solution to Kashmir, the former Union minister said recognizing the existing Line of Control (LoC) as the international border between India and Pakistan was the only way out.
“Both the countries are nuclear powers now. We have to realise that neither of us can take over the territory held by us already. If the Indian government can talk to Taliban in Russia, why cannot it speak to Kashmiris,” he asked.