In a remarkable turn of events, the 4th and 5th phases of the Lok Sabha elections in Kashmir witnessed an unprecedented surge in voter participation, with constituencies like Baramulla and Srinagar recording their highest polling percentages in over four decades.
This resurgence of democratic participation was accompanied by unexpected appeals for peace and calls to embrace the democratic process from an unlikely quarter – the family members of dreaded terrorists.
Baramulla, a Lok Sabha constituency in North Kashmir, broke a 40-year record by recording a staggering 59% voter turnout on Monday, surpassing the 58.84% turnout witnessed in 1984. This remarkable figure is a significant improvement from the 34.89% turnout recorded in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, highlighting the renewed enthusiasm for democratic participation in the region.
Similarly, the Srinagar Parliamentary constituency witnessed a polling percentage of around 40%, the highest in nearly four decades. According to official data released by the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Office (CEO), the constituency recorded a 39% turnout, a figure expected to rise further. The last time Srinagar witnessed such a high voter turnout was in 1984, when it recorded a staggering 73.51% polling.
Amidst this surge in democratic engagement, a surprising development unfolded as family members of notorious terrorists appealed to misguided youth to shun violence and embrace the democratic process. Rouf Lone, the brother of the infamous Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorist Umar Lone, held up his ink-marked finger as a symbol of democratic participation and urged all misguided youth to abandon the path of violence and join the mainstream.
“I appeal to my brother Umar to surrender in the interest of peace,” Rouf Lone told the media, echoing the sentiments of their mother, who had previously made a similar appeal. Dawood, the brother of top LeT militant Bilal Ahmed, also exercised his franchise in Sopore and called upon people to exercise their right to vote for better development. Despite having two other brothers currently incarcerated for terrorist-related activities, Dawood appealed to the government for their release, demonstrating a shift towards embracing the democratic process.
In a significant development, a senior leader of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), once considered the mother of all conflicts in Kashmir, also expressed faith in Indian democracy and urged the youth to participate in the democratic process.
Ghulam Qadir Lone, the former general secretary of JeI, reflected on the infamous 1987 rigged assembly elections, expressing hope that such dark chapters would not be repeated. He stressed the need for free and fair elections and called upon Kashmiri youth to actively participate in the electoral process. These appeals from family members of terrorists and a senior JeI leader mark a significant shift in the narrative, indicating a growing desire for peace and a willingness to embrace democratic means for conflict resolution.
As the polling process continues, these developments have raised hopes for a more inclusive and peaceful future for the region, with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds recognizing the importance of democratic participation and peaceful coexistence.
