Doubts over Anantnag though Srinagar bypoll not cancelled

Mocking at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to the “Kashmiri youth” to choose between “terrorism and tourism”, an editorial in Srinagar newspaper Rising Kashmir wondered if New Delhi would admit after Sunday’s bloodbath in Srinagar that the people have spoken.

Reflecting on the ‘dangerous development of youth losing the fear of death’, the editorial faulted the Centre for taking no cue from the developments last year, misreading the situation on the ground and going ahead with political processes ignoring the growing alienation of the people.

Frontpage headlines reflected the dismay and outrage over the lowest ever polling recorded on Sunday in the byelection for the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat (7.14%) during which eight civilians lost their lives, 150 were injured besides 100 security personnel also getting injured.

‘Black Day for Democracy’ read the headline in Greater Kashmir while Kashmir Images led with ‘Blood beats ballot’. A tweet provided the poll percentage in perspective:

Indeed, political parties are unnerved and the PDP candidate from Anantnag has called for putting off the byelection for Anantnag scheduled for April 12. Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah retweeted Shujaat Bukhari :

This was after the PDP candidate declaring that conditions were not conducive for the poll.

Headlines in Greater Kashmir told their own tale. One said: ‘In Budgam segments, people side with boycott in memory of martyrs’; another read as ‘At Eidgah, people throng slain Junaid’s residence than polling booths as usual’.

A few headlines in Kashmir Reader – which was banned for “contentious reportage” last year – were the following: ‘In Srinagar, even some polling agents boycott elections’; ‘In Budgam, Beerwah, a boycott as never seen before’; ‘Amid low turn-out, NC lead expected in Ganderbal’, ‘Troops on duty wonder at Kashmir and themselves’.

Other stories that made it to the front page of Rising Kashmir included: ‘Faizan left home to play after reciting Quran, returned dead’; ‘Polling staff bears brunt of hostility’; ‘Internet to remain suspended till April 12’; ‘Women cast vote to cast out RSS, Mehbooba’ and ‘Cop’s son among the slain boys’.

Monday’s editorials in newspapers blamed the “disillusionment with mainstream politics” for the dismal voter turnout and also blamed the Indian establishment for “misreading of Kashmir situation” leading to violent protests and civilian killings.

An editorial in Kashmir Reader mocked “the lot of politicians who fight the elections in Kashmir” wondering as to how would they now interpret a voter turnout that may “not even match the number of political workers they employ in the name of democracy?” In another editorial comment, Greater Kashmir lamented that the current government doesn’t even pretend to order an enquiry into the deaths of civilians during protest demonstrations. It stated that “the anger in Valley is endemic and the alienation is almost absolute.”

The editorial says that people stayed away due to “deep cynicism and disillusionment” with mainstream politics. It stated that there has been boycott even in areas which traditionally participated in polling.

“One reason for this is that there is no credible leader people can look up to. The mainstream politics now represents little more than the pursuit of power and its enjoyment,” it read and added, “No pro-establishment party seems to have the time to relate and bring its politics closer to the aspirations of the people.”