Danishwar Hameed
At the break of dawn in Kahrote Jagir (Kahrwat), a village located approximately 2.5 kilometers from the main town of Kulgam, the area witnessed yet another transformation, one in a series of many changes over the past few decades.
The village of Kahrote Jagir in Kulgam district, South Kashmir, was largely deserted during the parliamentary polls in 2019, with minimal voter turnout in the 2014 elections. Known for its significant Jamaat-e-Islami population and situated about 2.5 kilometers from Kulgam’s main town, the village experienced a dramatic change on Wednesday, with thick crowds gathering at the polling booths.
As crowds gathered outside the polling booth, a sudden wave of hooting and clapping erupted. The man of the moment, Sayar Ahmed Reshi, a local resident, had arrived. Reshi is widely regarded as the driving force behind the change of hearts in the village.
Sayar Ahmed Reshi, a former senior member of Jamaat-e-Islami, is one of the independent candidates fielded by the group in Kulgam, running against Mohammed Yusuf Tarigami of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
“The situation has improved, and fear has faded, which is a good omen for democracy. In the past, people mostly refrained from voting due to threats to their lives, but this time, brisk voting is happening without interference from any quarters,” said Abdul Ahad Bhat, a local villager, after casting his vote.
Voters in Kahrote Jagir view the first major electoral exercise in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 as an opportunity to express their sentiments regarding the region’s developments over the past nearly five years.
“In the last five years, none of our issues have been addressed. We have been waiting for elected representatives and restoration of democracy and right now is the moment. People must come out and vote wisely,” said one elderly voters.
In Kulgam district, which is a key area in the first phase of the Jammu Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections on September 18, three Assembly Constituencies (ACs) will be contested.
The district has 3,28,782 registered voters: 1,64,852 male, 1,63,917 female, and 13 transgender voters. This phase will determine the political landscape in Kulgam, with significant attention on voter turnout and the impact of local candidates in shaping the region’s future.
While the issues in Kulgam range from unemployment to decreased ration, many voters have a clear and singular concern. ‘We want the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami to be lifted, and those criticizing us for participating in the elections should be thanking us for carrying the burden of preserving the Jamaat legacy on our shoulders,’ said one voter at Kahrote Jagir.