The Hindu : Hazratbal voters indifferent

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 23, 2002

Other States

Other States - Jammu & Kashmir

Hazratbal voters indifferent

By Anjali Mody

SRINAGAR SEPT 22. The kuccha road into Zaldar Mohalla on the Dal lake was built with the "ushur" — money collected as alms for the poor during Id and Moharram. They will have to wait for another Id to repair the tiny wooden bridge over the canal that divides the mohalla.

It is the same story in the neighbouring Sultan Mohalla. In this part of Srinagar's Hazratbal constituency, as resident Nafisa Akhtar puts it, "voting does not even get you a three-foot road".

The sitting MLA, Mohammed Sayeed Akhoon (NC), "comes once in five years begging for votes.

``When we go to him after the election, the sign `no admission' greets us".

The irony is that in a constituency where voter turnout is expected to be low, Akhoon's fate may depend on the residents of Zaldar and Sultan Mohalla. Predominantly Shia, voters here admit that they vote largely on the directive of their "pir" (religious leader). They voted for Akhoon in 1996 because Maulvi Iftikhar Ansari said he was the chosen one.

In five years they have got nothing, while Akhoon, once a taxi driver, has "a bungalow worth Rs. 3 crores''.

And yet, if the Maulvi decides he is to be the man for the next five years, Nafisa and her neighbours will vote for him.

But, in an election where many political careers are expected to end, many say they may defy the pir's call. Men agitatedly arguing about elections and "azadi" under a picture of Ayatollah Khomeini, talk of voting for the PDP candidate, Mohi-ud-Din Akhoon, or even an independent.

Ghulam Hussain, a farmer, with three unemployed graduate sons, says this is all nonsense and that he will exercise his democratic choice not to vote. Because "no one is worth voting for."

On the other side of the Dal, members of the House Boat Owners Association say that democracy is neither here nor there.

The unbroken row of "To Let" signs on the house boats at Nehru Park is the problem. Ibrahim, a house boat owner, says that "elections will not bring peace... and tourists will only come if there is peace." Another house boat owner, Rashid Khan, says: "they should have talks, not elections... they sent Jethmalani... we thought something would happen... but no one listens to him".

A few unemployed young men said they would vote but their names were not on the voter list.

Mohammed Rafiq, another house boat owner, said that even those who may have wanted to vote did not believe it was worth the risk.

"They can't protect Ministers... who will protect the people who vote?''

At Shankaracharya Ghat, shikarawalas won't say whether they will vote or not. A National Conference worker is happy to speak for them.

"They will all vote... for the NC," he said.

An hour or so later someone says: "no one will vote... they have suffered a great deal... they support the boycott."

The shikarawalas remain enigmatically silent. Elsewhere, the name Ghulam Mohammed Shaksaz is mentioned.

An independent candidate from the same community as the boatmen, he may well get their vote.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Other States

Stories in this Section

Hazratbal voters indifferent

No smooth sailing for Omar, Altaf

Much enthusiasm in rural areas

Four Hurriyat offices raided

Attempt on candidates