Suhail Khan
Breaking the election boycott trend, Sopore, the town which used to be the hotbed of militancy for decades, on Monday participated in the ongoing electoral process with much enthusiasm and zeal.
The Kashmir Despatch team visited many polling stations in the Sopore area and interacted with the voters who, for the first time, stood up and cast their votes in favor of their favorite candidates.
Salaam, an aged man, told Kashmir Despatch that for our children, we came forward today. We don’t want to see them suffering like we have. He said it’s not all about the current peaceful situation, it’s all about the bright future of our children.
A group of women who were seen in long queues told Kashmir Despatch that this time we will break the record. We want our representative in the parliament who can fight for us, for our well-being, for the bright future of our children.
They said that somehow we are responsible for the underdeveloped town by being away from the electoral process.
They said that this time we want to give a loud and clear message to the world that always used to give the wrong tag to our Sopore, that we are part of democracy and we will fight for our rights, for development, for the bright future of our children.
The Kashmir Despatch team also interacted with the first-time voters, stating that we are fed up with the old culture of boycotting election trends. However, this time it’s not just an election for us but a ray of hope for our bright future. They believe that in a democratic setup, we can not only dream about a bright future but also work towards development, peace, and prosperity.
Reporting from Ground Zero at one of the polling stations in the Tulibal area, the massive participation of people was seen in queues for casting their votes for their favorite candidate.
Speaking to the Kashmir Despatch group of voters said that they want change, they want development, and this vote is for changing the scenario of Sopore.
They said we came forward this time by our own will, and there is no pressure from any side. However, the only pressure is that we want change, we want development, we want a bright future for our children.
Pertinently, Around 17,37,865 electorates are casting their ballots in 2,103 polling stations established across the Baramulla Parliamentary Constituency today on the 5th phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Suhail Khan is a filmmaker, content writer, and freelance journalist.
