Reyaz Rashid
Kaniyari Bandipora: While the election fervor sweeps across North Kashmir during the final phase of polling, the village of Kaniyari in Hajin Tehsil, Bandipora district, stands in stark contrast, as residents boycott the elections.
Polling Station 142, which serves 516 registered voters, presented a deserted look, with not a single vote cast.Just 100 meters from the polling station, a large group of villagers, including elders like former Sarpanch Mohammad Shafi Dar, gathered in protest.
They allege that they have been repeatedly betrayed under the guise of development.“Our village lacks basic amenities. Look at the condition of the roads — the villagers had to build them themselves. We were romised land under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) for the landless, but despite assurances, no formal land has been allotted. The state land provided by the Deputy Commissioner of Bandipora is being contested by other locals,” said Farooq Ahmad Pinzo, a resident.
Former Sarpanch Mohammad Shafi echoed these grievances, saying, “For the last 60 years, we have voted for various political parties, including ministers and MLAs, but none of them have brought development to our village. We are still deprived of basic facilities like healthcare, drinking water, education, and electricity.”
He added, “Pregnant women must be transported by boat for 2 kilometers to reach Sopore for treatment. We even had organized a public meeting for BJP spokesperson and Minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain but no one provided us relief.
Unless the Deputy Commissioner of Bandipora comes and assures us that our issues will be addressed, we will not vote.”Shafi further mentioned that despite visiting the DC’s office multiple times, they were always told, “Sahab is in a meeting.”
He also recounted an attempt to meet Ravinder Raina, BJP’s J&K president and MLA, to discuss the village’s struggles, but he was not granted an audience.The villagers cite a severe lack of essential services, including healthcare, drinking water, education, electricity, and proper housing.
“Pregnant women must be transported by boat for 2 kilometers to reach Sopore for treatment,” said Mohammad Shafi.
“For 60 years, we’ve voted for different parties, ministers, and MLAs, but none have delivered on their promises.”In response to the boycott, Additional Deputy Commissioner Bandipora, Mohammad Ashraf Bhat, and Tehsildar Hajin visited the polling station in an effort to address the situation.
However, their presence has not yet swayed the villagers, who remain resolute. The residents insist they will vote only when the Deputy Commissioner of Bandipora guarantees that their longstanding issues will be resolved.
Repeated appeals to the government for basic amenities and land ownership have gone unheard, prompting the villagers to abstain from voting. They made it clear that their boycott will continue unless their demands are met.The villagers’ boycott highlights a deep sense of frustration and disillusionment with the political promises that, according to them, have yet to materialize.