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| Baramulla boycotts for `love of martyrs' | | | Syed Tahir Bukhari
BARAMULLA, May 7: A number of areas in Baramulla district, known for boycotting polls over the years, kept up with the practice on Wednesday as the 1-Baramulla-Kupwara segments went to polls in the seventh phase of Lok Sabha elections marred by explosions and heavy stone pelting.
Dispatched with police and paramilitary personnel, majority of areas in Baramulla continued to stay away from polling, for " love for the freedom struggle and martyrs."
"Those who voted today want to see the new changes in their political party," said Aijaz Ahmad, who was standing outside a polling booth at Baramulla, near historic old town.
"They will continue to vote till they are alive and we will continue to boycott till we are alive." A few polling booths stationed at Baramulla in North Kashmir here, the poll percentage was low till afternoon.
At polling booth No 93 at Baramulla, only one vote was cast out of 789. And, at polling booth 102 at Nadihal, out of 836 voters, only two had cast their vote. At polling station 89 at Seer Jagir,in Sangrama Constituency zero votes were polled out of 468 registered voters till 5:30 pm.
In strongholds of Hurriyat Conference (G) Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani-Tujer Shareef, Sopore, model town, Bomie, Zaingeer-streets wore a deserted look as complete shutdown was observed on the separatists' call.
A group of youth said elections mean selling the blood of martyrs. "We will not vote because we can't ditch our martyrs. Our 900 youth are behind the bars this time and our leaders are under house arrest. If the government had the courage, it should have allowed the leaders to carry out the anti-election rallies," they said. The area had witnessed stone-pelting late Wednesday evening "against the elections."
Another youth, Mohammad Altaf of Palhallan Pattan, said his friend was killed by forces in 2010.
"Palhallan village of Baramulla district has a history of rejecting elections and respecting sacrifices. We don't need development, employment packages, roads etc.; we need a solution to the issues for which we have sacrificed a lot," said Altaf, sitting on the National Highway of Baramulla-Srinagar, said.
However, at a few polling booths in Baramulla, less than 9 percent votes were polled till 5 pm. "All these votes were polled in the wee hours," a polling official said. "There were some female burqa-clad voters as well."
In several areas of Baramulla district like, Nadihal,Palhallan,Old Town Baramulla,Khowja Bagh and Sopore anger was visible among elders and youth against the arrest of over 800 youth by police before the polls. "Why they were arrested by police? This means we are their slaves. Said youth.
Meanwhile according to reports three explosions were reported from North Kashmir's Pattan town in Baramulla district on Wednesday. Eyewitnesses said that before the start of the polling at five in the morning, unidentified persons hurled a petrol bomb at police station Pattan. The bomb exploded with a big bang, creating panic among government forces. Soon after the attack, police and Para-military troopers were scattered in different parts of Pattan and patrolling was intensified.
However massive stone-pelting incidents were reported from North Kashmir's Baramulla town where police and Para-military troopers were deployed in strength to thwart any possible protest. Reports said that 11 youth got minor injuries and then scores of youths gathered at 4 main bridges of the town including Cement Bridge, Azadgunj Bridge, Khanpora Bridge and the Government Transport Yard Bridge and clashed with the government forces. Protesters burnt down tyres on the roads and attacked police and Para-military troopers with stones. Police used tear-smoke shells to disperse them.
Sources said that clashes erupted between protesters and government forces continued for several hours. Clashes between police and protesters were also reported from Iqbal Colony, Armpora, and Bunglobagh Baramulla. Reports said that Army was called in to control the situation which sealed all the roads leading to the town. At least three persons allegedly involved in stone-pelting incidents were arrested by police. |
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