[Reader-list] (In Rising Kashmir) "The Power of Democracy" - B A Tariq

[Kshmendra Kaul]

Extract:
 
"The boycott calls given by some groups are in fact indicative of their lack of support base among the masses and they appear to be conscious of it"
 
"The power of democracy"
 If Americans could, why can’t Kashmiris bring change in Kashmir?
B A Tariq
 
Even though the electioneering has not yet picked up in J&K to the levels as was seen in 2002 Assembly elections, in the aftermath of the aggressive agitations for and against ‘diversion’ of land to Amaranth Shrine Board in both the regions of Kashmir and Jammu, the historic vote in USA for the change should inspire those who do not exercise their right of franchise for different reasons, for the good of the State. 
 
 
The election-boycott syndrome has no potential of any help to the ordinary Kashmiri as nothing tangible had happened by previous boycotts, thousands of shutdowns, countless killings and unending spate of violence. 
 

What everybody is curiously looking at is the actual turn out on the polling days in the State, even by those who are campaigning for the boycott. It would in any case demonstrate the strength of the democratic temper of the people. 
 

The fact remains that never before decision was taken to hold elections in such an unfavourable situation, but it had probably no alternative as, howsoever weakest, people’s representative government is far better than the bureaucratic dispensation, even if it is manned by the people of proven integrity and competence. 
 

The mainstream political parties are gearing up to seek mandate on their policies and manifestos to govern the State for the next six years. Political observers feel that several factors were responsible for this year's low key campaigning by political parties whereby they have mostly restricted their activities to holding party conventions and workers meets.
While more than 5,000 rallies and public meetings were organized by various political parties in 2002 elections, political leaders and candidates have not been as aggressive in campaigning with notification for three phases of the polls already issued.
 

People from Jammu city and adjoining areas, who took active part in the unprecedented emotive agitation spearheaded by Amarnath Sangarsh Samiti, are still suffering from the fatigue of the 63-day long agitation. The valleyites have yet to emerge out of the agitation spearheaded by the separatist Coordination Committee and the normal life gets frequently disrupted due to strike calls, marches, protest demonstrations or curfew every other day, economic losses caused in the process notwithstanding. It is literally holding the society to ransom; the common man continues to grumble but can not raise the banner of dissent which is not acceptable to the so called champions of Kashmiri cause backed by forces of disruption.
 

There were several incidents of violence against mainstream politicians, including National Conference leader Syed Akhoon and PDP leader Syed Bashir during the agitation, while there was a spontaneous shutdown when National Conference president Omar Abdullah and his PDP rival Qazi Muhammad Afzal filed their nomination papers from Ganderbal assembly seat. Apart from the separatist cadre it is often said in political circles that these ‘attacks’ are engineered by rival candidates to paint others in bad light. 
 

Despite all these incidents, more and more people sincerely believe that democratic process is the only way to bring about a change in the society – political, economic or social. This feeling is evident from the fact that as many as 44 nominations filed in just two constituencies of Bandipora and Sonawari district, going to polls on November 17 in the first phase. Is this the trend? One can’t be sure as we are as unpredictable as Kashmir weather.
 

National Conference and BJP had been calling for holding of elections in time while the PDP dithered and delayed the decision by 10 days but when the time to take a final call came they decided to jump into the fray with the hope that they will be able to prevail upon the voters once again with new agenda to put the party back to power, whatever the turnout percentage.
 

The State unit of CPI (M), which had called for some time to create a conducive atmosphere for the polls in the state, was the first to organize an election rally in Kulgam within hours of the Election Commission of India announcing the poll schedule. Other smaller parties like People's Democratic Front and Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Party (Nationalist) followed suit.
Even separatists are not against the democratic process, at least not in their public posturing, but their stand on elections is like putting the cart before the horse. They want people to decide the ‘future’ of Kashmir but are shying away from taking responsibility, by proving their representative character through the ballot and lead the state in whichever direction they want, provided they get the mandate to do so.
 

While the decision to vote or not to vote is the right of every voter across the world, one cannot coerce the people not to vote. UJC was first to ask for boycott and over ground organizations supporting the same cause are trumpeting it day in and day out. The boycott calls given by some groups are in fact indicative of their lack of support base among the masses and they appear to be conscious of it.
 

The presidential elections in the United States of America this year have shown that people's power reigns supreme as the Americans elected a black as their president for the first time in the country's history. There were several landmark firsts in this election as Barack Hussein Obama successfully challenged the established norms of the American society by daring to change the system where a White President was a foregone conclusion even before the parties would nominate their candidates.
 

Obama's historic win as the President of the US should strengthen the belief that democracy is the answer to all problems faced by a society, a nation or the world at present. The two most compelling arguments in its support are that blacks in the US got voting rights only 44 years ago, and Obama came on the national political scene of the US only four years ago when he was elected to the Senate from Illinois.
 

As Obama said in his Victory speech, "Change has come" to the US, a thought comes to the mind-  do the people opposed to the elections in Kashmir dare to bring a change in J&K through the power of the ballot and not through marches, bandhs, gun or violence? Good turn out of voters can make all the difference to Kashmir. 
 
http://www.risingkashmir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8184&Itemid=44