Ex- JeI Gen Secy casts vote

Kupwara, May 20: trGhulam Qadir Lone, the former General Secretary of the banned Jama’at-i-Islami (JeI), today casted his vote in the Lok sabha polls here.

Lone also recalled the rigging of assembly polls in 1987. "In the annals of electoral history, the 1987 elections stand as a stark reminder of the betrayal of democracy. The rigging at that time orchestrated by vested interests shattered our faith in the democratic process, plunging us into a vortex of chaos and uncertainty," he said.

However, amidst the shadows of despair, Lone espoused a glimmer of hope, buoyed by the prospect of a reinvigorated commitment to electoral integrity. He called upon the Government of India to heed the clarion call for transparency and accountability, vowing to stand as a sentinel against any attempts to subvert the democratic process.

"It is imperative that we restore trust and faith in the democratic process, lest we descend further into the abyss of tyranny and oppression," Lone said.

He appealed the youth of Jammu and Kashmir to seize the reins of destiny, to become architects of change in a landscape fraught with uncertainty.

"The youth are the vanguard of our democracy, the torchbearers of our future. It is time for them to rise, to reclaim their rightful place in the annals of history through democratic process," Lone added.