‘Utter disillusionment’: Kashmir sees first election since 2014 as chance to reject Modi
For the first time in almost 40 years, Bashir Ahmad Thokar, a 75-year-old apple farmer, cannot wait to cast his vote. In the Himalayan valleys and mountains of the Indian region of Kashmir, elections have long been deemed a tainted affair, marred by rigging, boycotts and violence. But as Kashmiris go to the polls on Wednesday to vote for their first regional assembly in a decade, this time there has been a palpable buzz.
“This is the first time since 1987 that the people of Kashmir are excited about the elections,” says Thokar.
The election, which will continue in phases until 1 October, is being deemed the most significant in the region for years. It is not only the first time since 2014 that Kashmiris will be able to vote for their own regional representatives, but is also the first vote since the region was stripped of its statehood by prime minister Narendra Modi.
It was August 2019 that Modi unilaterally revoked Article 370 – which had given Kashmir its own special form of autonomy since independence – and brought it under the complete control of the central government. A lengthy and oppressive crackdown followed. Thousands of additional troops were brought in; hundreds, including prominent politicians, were jailed; and the internet was cut for over 18 months, the longest blackout ever recorded.
For Modi’s Bharatiya Janata party (BJP), taking full control of Kashmir had been a central pledge of their Hindu nationalist agenda for years, and it was celebrated by many in the establishment. But while Kashmiris on the ground opposed the move, few were able to protest or openly criticise it.
Anyone seen to be involved in dissent was routinely harassed and detained by police, often under draconian anti-terrorism laws, and the freedom of the local press was systematically crushed, with many journalists among those detained.
‘A crossroads in our history’
Voters in the state described the upcoming polls as an opportunity to finally get back their voice, after years of having their democratic rights silenced. The Modi government had resisted holding the polls but it was finally mandated by the supreme court earlier this year, with a September deadline.
The BJP had initially claimed they would “sweep” the election yet widespread resentment has left them contesting less than a third of the 90 assembly seats, mostly focused in the only Hindu-majority area of Jammu, and they are expected to win fewer than in the 2014 polls.
“This election is important because there is utter disillusionment amongst people,” said Iltija Mufti, daughter of former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, whose party was once in alliance with the BJP. “We are at a crossroads in our history, people have not felt such deep alienation before. They feel disempowered and dispossessed.”
Historically, Kashmiris have reason to be wary of local elections. The region has been disputed between India and Pakistan since 1947, when the two countries gained their independence, and three wars have been fought over it. Each side currently governs part of it while China controls a portion in the east.
It was in 1987 that the Indian government, fearful of the sensitive region falling into the hands of those sympathetic to Pakistan, was accused of meddling in Kashmir’s elections to prevent pro-independence candidates from taking power. In response, a coalition of popular parties boycotted the elections. Several leaders crossed the border into Pakistan, where they went on to launch an armed revolt against India. It plunged the region into waves of violence and militancy from the 1990s onwards that continue to this day.
This time, however, the election has not been met with calls for boycotts, even by separatist and terrorist outfits. Instead, candidates from a multitude of parties, including those who favour greater independence for Kashmir, are taking part and many believe it could be the highest turnout in years. Political rallies have been packed, with many people turning up to demand