Since early Thursday morning, people of all ages came out of their homes in Fakir Gojri area of Srinagar to stand in queues and wait for their turn to cast their votes. Among the jubilant voters was 82-year-old Sardar Muhammad Khatana, whose turn to vote came after he waited in a long queue for around two hours.
Holding a stick in his hand, the aged man is an imam(religious preacher) who leads congregational prayers at Jamia Masjid in thearea.
Khatana says he doesn’t remember when he voted for the firsttime in his life, but asserts that he has never missed to vote.
For him, the ongoing parliamentary polls were “different”than all the elections held previously, because of the “assault” on Article 35A and “special status” of the state guaranteed under Article 370.
Coming out of the polling booth after casting his vote,Khatana said: “I want to tell those for whom I have been voting for the pastmany years that don’t let my vote go waste this time. Our identity is underattack and the winner of this election needs to raise his voice to protect ouridentity and special status. If Articles 370 or 35-A are done away with, I willnever vote again”.
Fakir Gojri, located amid a hillock on the outskirts ofSrinagar city, wore a festive look Thursday, with men, women, youth and manyfirst-time voters waiting desperately to cast their votes. Of 1,000 registeredvoters in the area, 700 were polled till 2pm.
For Muhammad Gulzar Famda, a local resident, boycottingpolls is “not an option”.
“I have never boycotted elections. Today, my all familymembers voted. There are 11 votes in my family,” Famda said.
“Today’s vote holds a great significance as we want toprotect our identity. We don’t want outsiders to settle here. I have beenvoting in the past for reasons like roads, buildings and a mini-hospital, buttoday my vote is for safeguarding Kashmir’s identity and special status.”
Lateef Ahmed Bajran, another local resident, was alsowaiting for his turn in the premises of government school-turned-pollingstation.
“This area has never boycotted the polls and will never stayaway from the electoral exercise in future as well. What might change is thereason for casting the vote. Today, we have a solid reason to vote and tomorrowwe can justify today’s vote,” Bajran said.
Fakir Gujri was perhaps the only area in Srinagar thatwitnessed serpentine queues and a festive polling atmosphere.