An election has begun in Kashmir following India’s democratic vision in the region. In this way India gave a tangible answer to all those who accuse it of illegally controlling Kashmir. What tyrant enfranchises the one he supposedly oppresses?
The long history of tension in Kashmir
The head of the electoral commission stated that the elections will be held in four stages from September 18th to October 8th. He added that there will be great security measures to enable voters to vote without any fear. The BBC’s correspondent in Delhi believes that the Indian government is thinking that the smooth conduct of the elections will strengthen the law of its sovereignty in Kashmir.
But the largest separatist alliance and one of their leaders, Shabir Shah, have already announced they will boycott the elections. Fortunately, so far there have been no incidents of violence that could prevent the smooth conduct of the elections.
Why are these elections so important in the long-suffering region of Kashmir? Jammu and Kashmir will vote to elect a new Assembly in three phases for the first time after the abrogation of Article 370 by the Indian government in 2019.
Before we look at what is happening with the elections right now, let’s dwell for a minute on Article 370 and on the importance of its abolition.
Article 370 of the Indian constitution, which was repealed on August 5th 2019, [1]ended seven decades of discrimination that the tribal communities used to face, including the Gujjar-Bakerwal and Gaddi-Sippi in Jammu and Kashmir, and paved the way for them to get equal rights in the country.
Members of the Gujjar-Bakerwal and Gaddi-Sippi communities, who were exploited to the hilt by the former rulers, are fully empowered to live and work like the rest of the residents just three years after J&K’s so-called special status was revoked.
After the abrogation of Article 370 and the transition of J&K to a Union Territory, the Government of India has worked hard to achieve a balanced development of infrastructure as well as human resources, through a series of unprecedented policy decisions, schemes and programs to implement the principle of equality.
Now if we move back to the elections going on these days in Kashmir, there are 90 seats in the district assembly. The last Assembly poll was held in the Himalayan region in 2014. Apart from Jammu and Kashmir, the ECI announced that the voting for a new Assembly will also be held in Haryana in a single phase on October 1st. The counting of votes will take place on October 4th. Recently, a voting was held in Jammu and Kashmir during the elections of the Lok Sabha, which is the lower parliament of the Indian Parliament.
After the abrogation of Article 370, a bold move by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, the region was effectively linked with India and ended the rule of anti-peace groups. Narendra Mondi said on X“ These elections are like a ray of hope or the area ,a promise for a better future and a testimony of our common decisiveness to build one more powerful and united India.[2] “
What was happening in the Jammu and Kashmir region before the abrogation of the article and who were behind the attacks? Extremist Muslim jihadists have been responsible for deadly terrorist attacks. In February 2019, a suicide bomber, who belongs to a terror group banned in Pakistan, killed 40 members of an Indian police unit, making it the deadliest attack in Kashmir in three decades.
It should be noted that Turkey has played a significant role in all of this by financially and militarily strengthening the movements of the jihadists, wanting through this movement to strengthen Pakistan diplomatically.
As reported by the Kurdish news agency ANF, citing anonymous sources, the leader of the close-to-Turkey group in Syria, Mr. “Suleiman Shah”, revealed his intention to transfer a number of fighters from Syria to the Kashmir region, over which India and Pakistan have a long-standing conflict.
The deployment of pro-Turkish mercenaries on the Pakistani side is related to Erdogan’s expansionist ambitions through his involvement in historical and chronic conflicts with religious and ethnic backgrounds, such as the one between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the Caucasus and, now, between India and Pakistan in the depths of Asia.
According to the Kurdish press agency ANF the leader of the Kurds in the area Souleiman Sah is about to transfer Kurdish warriors from Syria to Kasmir to join terrorists who cause problems to the area.
Tagip Erdogan also plays an important role in this geopolitical game in Kashmir by sending tourkish troups to Kashmir to enforce Pakistans in the regions. Tourkey is following this kind of friendly to Pakistan policy by supporting it in Kashmir so as to be able to sell to Kashmir its weapons.[3]
However, after the abrogation of Article 370 by India, things in Kashmir changed for the better. As reported in an article by therealkashmir.com, titled “Kashmir’s nightlife revives as Pakistan-backed terrorism wanes,” by Khubaib Mir, author and President of Voice of Youth (Largest youth-based organization), right now the center of Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir, is bustling with activity till late at night. Young people now play football, cricket and other sports in well-lit stadiums until midnight, and the fear and threat of sunset terror, that used to exist, has completely disappeared.
There are no more terrorists carrying guns or hand grenades, since security services have downgraded them. There are no more grenade attacks or crossfires, separatist shutdown calls or incidents of stone pelting anywhere in the valley.
Conclusion
With our eyes fixed on Kashmir right now, let’s hope for the best outcome of the election and for the restoration of peace and democracy in the region. We need to bear in mind that India’s involvement in Kashmir changed the world’s perception towards this isolated area so as not to be thought only as a place of uneducated peasants but as a place worth investing in industry ,education and infrastructure.
[1] https://directus.gr/to-arthro-370-tou-indikou-syntagmatos-allaxe-ta-panta-pros-to-kalytero-sto-kasmir-termatise-tis-diakriseis-epta-dekaetion/
[2] https://www.protothema.gr/world/article/1444927/india-to-anotato-dikastirio-epikurose-tin-arsi-tou-imiautonomou-kathestotos-tou-kasmir-apo-tin-kuvernisi-modi/
[3] https://www.in.gr/2020/12/09/politics/tourkia-etoimazei-apostoles-tzixantiston-kai-gia-kasmir/
