Suhail Khan
The political situation in Kashmir has reached new heights. As political dynamics have evolved, politics has set a new stage in every aspect and corner of society. However, the political songs do not seem to stop, featuring titles like “Bankho WaziriAla,” “Sheron ka Sher Hai Hamara Leader,” and “Nikli Shera Yeth Wath Dera Aasli Shera Aagaya.” These political songs have become so ingrained in people’s ears that it feels as if the day does not begin or end without them.
An interesting factor to observe in this election is that each contesting candidate is promoting their own songs, which is perhaps something not seen before in previous elections.
This is the first assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. The last assembly elections were held in 2014.
A voter turnout of more than 61 percent was recorded in the first phase of assembly polls, which covered 24 segments across seven districts in Jammu and Kashmir.
The political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir is entering a crucial phase in the ongoing General Elections for the Legislative Assembly. Scheduled for September 25, 2024, the second phase will involve over 25.78 lakh registered voters determining the fate of 239 candidates across 26 Assembly Constituencies (ACs) spread over six districts.
The Kashmir Despatch team, while observing the situation on the ground, has found that the political atmosphere in Kashmir is at a different level altogether. People’s interest in politics has changed, and they are actively participating in this assembly election. Whether it’s the leaders’ rallies or campaigning, what seems to be at an extreme level is the political songs that are constantly playing, nearly 12 hours a day, in every nook and corner of Kashmir.
“If we enjoy anything the most, it’s these songs—‘Bankho WaziriAla,’ ‘Sheron ka Sher Hai Hamara Leader,’ and ‘Nikli Shera Yeth Wath Dera Aasli Shera Aagaya,‘ among other political rally songs,” said Sakeena, a housewife.
She mentioned that this habit has formed over the past few weeks. Earlier, it was quite difficult to listen to these songs in the morning, but now, with the changing political atmosphere, everything has settled, and we are also enjoying them.
Nazir Ahmad, a political activist, spoke Kashmir Despatch and said, “This is the color of ‘Politics’ in which everyone participates, whether it’s the National Conference, Congress, PDP, Apni Party, People’s Conference, or independent leaders. They all follow the same protocol, and during campaigning, these songs reach the people’s ears.”
Nazir noted that in this election, for the first time, something has changed; traditional songs have been replaced, and now each leader has their own songs playing.
Nasir, an engineering student, told Kashmir Despatch that this reflects the true colors of democracy, where not only qualified youth have come forward but a wave has been created, making everyone feel it is essential to participate in the democratic process for a secure future. He emphasized that people have become more politically mature and are now using their votes wisely, unlike earlier elections when they used to boycott.
He remarked that it hardly matters who will win, but the essential aspect is people’s participation in the democratic process, which is evident in how immersed they are in the political colors of this election.
Some political experts, in a lengthy discussion with Kashmir Despatch, stated that this assembly election presents conditions where people are now making politics a matter of pride and are willingly engaging in the political colors, especially in areas that were previously detached from the political process. There is now significant enthusiasm visible there.
According to them, people have become politically mature, which explains why this election is different from previous ones and demonstrates healthy competition.
Suhail Khan is a filmmaker, content writer, and freelance journalist.
