SRINAGAR: According to international observers, parliamentary elections in the wartavaged state of Jammu and Kashmir are a sham. Diplomats from U.K., USA, and Japan visited the polling stations under police escort. They will present their observations to their respective governments soon.
According to villagers, gun botting Indian Army troops forced to get out of their homes, drove them to polling stations, and forced them to vote. Most of the voters didn’t even know who the candidates were. The voters were also threatened with dire consequences and bodily harm if they refused to vote.
India feels that the election process in the Muslim dominated state could bring normally but the rebel forces, who have boycotted the elections, claim that such efforts by the Indian government are merely to legitimatize its rule in the state.
Indian authorities claim the voter turnout around 40%, a contention strongly disputed by the rebels; Indian government also denied the reports that Army forced civilian voters to vole. However, reports of forced voting cast doubt on the legitimacy of elections that India had hoped would reflect Kashmiri people’s discontent with rebel’s struggle for independence. BJP party, had protested against holding elections in the State be calico of the mounting violence. Electioneering in the state has been marked with violence as rebel groups have boycotted the elections. Two days before voting» powerful car bomb exploded in a busy shopping area in New Delhi, killing 16 people and injuring 45. A separatists group claimed the responsibility. The bomb explosion rocked a four story building of Pushpa Market. As the fire broke out many people inside the building were able to escape without any harm. Police estimate that at least 22!bs of explosives were used in the bomb attack three days ago a militant group ambushed a paramilitary convoy, The death toll from that incident has not been revealed yet.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 29, 1996
