Yogesh
Jammu, Apr 26: First time in over a decade, the border residents of Jammu region thronged to the polling stations without any fear of being trapped in Pakistan’s shelling and casted their votes to decide the fate of 22 candidates contesting from the Jammu Lok Sabha constituency on Friday.
On the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC), the elections are not less than a festival or fair. Far from the city’s hustle and bustle, the calmness prevailed in rural belts, where people started assembling in groups at designated polling booths in the morning to exercise their franchise.
Out of the 18 Assembly segments of Jammu constituency, 10 segments namely Ramgarh, Vijaypur and Samba of Samba district, Bishnah, Suchetgarh, Ranbir Singh Pura, Marh, Akhnoor and Chamb of Jammu and Sunderbani-Kalakote Assembly of Rajouri district have votes in border areas.
The mixed population of the border belt consists of Gujjars, Jats, Scheduled Caste, West Pakistani Refugees, Chamb Refugees and Sikh, which mainly depend upon farming and jobs in defence forces for their livelihood.
In Jammu’s R S Pura belt, which is internationally acclaimed for its quality Rice cultivation, the residents at Zero line Chandu Chak voted in large numbers for a scene of security due to fresh ceasefire agreement while barely three kilometers away from the border the issues changed to Agniveer and unemployment.
Garu Chand of Abdulian village, who casted his vote early in the morning, said that shelling from across the border has remained a major concern for the border residents and the administration alike but this time the elections are taking place in a peaceful atmosphere owing to a renewed ceasefire between the two countries on February 25, 2021.
“Earlier, we were living under the looming threat of firing and shelling from across the border but the situation has changed for good ever since the ceasefire came into effect and we are carrying out our daily chores,” he said adding, “Due to peace residence are able to carry farming activity near zero line, which is great relief”.
However the resident also anguished over poor performance and non availability of sitting Member parliament but hoped that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi things have been changed and border dwellers are happy.
Haqumat Singh, a young voter from Baspur Bangla of R S Pura said that border residents have suffered a lot in the last couple of years for some anti youth and anti farmers decisions.
“Most of the border residents are average in studies and keep the dream of joining the army, every house has at least two people in belt forces but the government’s Agniveer shattered many such dreams and people with full potential sitting idle at homes”.
Singh further added that after the army the other major dependency on farming.
“A farmer gets Rs 3500 for per quintal of rice grains on government rates but rice available in the market above Rs 200 per kilogram. The difference of amount goes to middlemen because of the government’s policy to encourage corporate firms and discourage farmers,” he said.
The border dwellers also expressed concern over inflation and demanded that the government should focus on lowering the prices of domestic gas and essential and daily use items to provide relief to the people.
While a significant number of voters admitted that many areas saw a rise in drug abuse which also linked with growing unemployment.
“Unemployment is on the rise as a result of which the youth are falling prey to narcotic smugglers. Drug abuse is on the rise and there is a need to engage the youth in positive activities by generating employment for them,” Kamlesh Kumar, a middle-aged voter said. He also said that government should seriously think over unemployment and drugs and close all wine shops in the rural belts while launch a major drive against drug abuse to save the young generation.
Mohita Khajuria, a first-time voter from village Satrian in the R S Pura sector said she wanted the government to focus on employment generation.
“I am happy to have exercised my democratic right and I am looking forward to a government which can address people’s issues and generate enough employment opportunities,” Khajuria said.
The enthusiasm among the voters was also visible in the Ramgarh sector of the Samba district, where the voters also talked about the growing menace of drug abuse among youngsters and inflation. They also said that elections need to be held regularly and people at helm need to be change of not perform well.
“I am disturbed to see that people think that they are electing the Prime Minister. Even the campaign of ruling party’s candidate also focused on this as he sought votes on name of Modi, which is ethically wrong as a voter of Jammu parliamentary, my duty is to cast a vote for candidate which I think is capable of raising the issue of Jammu in the parliament,” he said Sham Sunder Sharma, a scholar, adding, “We also want assembly elections so that the popular government is restored. People are for change”.
Officials said various polling stations were set up in buildings having underground bunkers including Nanga, Abdal, Sarthia Kalan, Rajpur, Chalyari and adjoining areas.
The Jammu parliamentary constituency recorded 67.22 per cent polling, while its border segments registered more than 70 per cent polling, till 5 pm. It is likely to maintain its history of high voter turnout as in the last parliamentary elections, the constituency registered about 74 per cent polling.
