From terrorism to triumph; Valley votes for change

The assembly elections concluded on Wednesday underline the triumphant return of full-fledged democracy in Jammu and Kashmir after a decade. The three-phase polling for the 90-member assembly was the most peaceful Kashmir has ever seen.

Only extreme separatists like Jamaat abstained from the elections. The fact that all the other parties cooperated proves the changing tides in the valley. The voter turnout in Kashmir is staggering compared to other political hotspots in India. In the 40 constituencies where polling was held in the third phase, almost 70 per cent of the people voted.

The polling in the first phase was 61.38 per cent and in the second phase 57.13 per cent. The high voter turnout is proof of the people's renewed faith in democracy and popular governance. A fair and impartial election process also helped to convince separatists and subversive forces that they had no place on the soil of Kashmir. What makes this election special is the absence of any untoward incidents or violence in an erstwhile terrorist bastion.

In the early days of the campaign, militant attacks took place across the valley but the security forces effectively foiled all attempts. The army was also able to give the deserved treatment to people who pelt stones at security forces after taking Rs 500 as wage. This turned the valley into a serene abode for election with no worries alerting the voters.

The counting of votes on October 8 will decide the fate of Kashmiris. No matter which party comes to power, Kashmir is destined to thrive forward while the old days of terrorism are long gone. Political parties should see election victory as an opportunity to strengthen democratic governance systems and lead Kashmir to progress and prosperity. National politicians now boasting about bringing back Article 370 are whining for nothing. It is clear as a sky that nobody can bring back Article 370 repealed by the Parliament under special powers and approved by the President and became law.

The people of Kashmir are not the subservient masses of old times and are well aware of picking out two-faced shrewd politicians from the rest. The date for the election was fixed following the Supreme Court's strict stance that Jammu and Kashmir should hold elections before the end of September.

Only militant hotspot Srinagar lagged in polling. In all other areas, the enthusiasm and interest went over the roof.