Why can’t our villages be made smart, ask Bandipora voters

Bandipora, Oct 1: The uphill villagers in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district emphasised development as the main reason for casting their votes, suggesting that while they are hopeful, the restoration of Articles 370 and 35-A is not the "immediate concern."

Chuntimullah, a tribal and semi-tribal village, like many other polling stations in the Bandipora constituency, did not witness long queues on Tuesday. However, when speaking to the voters, they expressed confidence that their voices would receive proper representation from the Chief Minister and MLA, unlike under the governor’s rule.

“We don’t have proper roads, hospitals, or water supply,” said Mohammad Iqbal Khan, a villager, after casting his vote.

Under the governor’s rule, he noted, “we haven’t received any attention, even though villagers cast ballots in high numbers, unlike in cities.”

“They can make smart cities, so why not build smart villages? Nobody pays any attention to us,” he added. He pointed to a lack of proper representation of people’s aspirations, referring to the curtailment of rations and power tariff hikes against the will of the people, hoping that under a popular government, their concerns would be heard.

The villagers expressed skepticism about the restoration of Articles 370 and 35-A. One villager stated, “If the assembly fights for it, it will help in its restoration,” but acknowledged that it would be a "long process."

Another villager, Habibullah Bhat, 48, argued, “This vote is for employment for youth, for people who go to sleep on empty stomachs, for educated youth who are destroying their lives with drugs, and for businessmen who are struggling to make ends meet.”

Bhat, who runs a business, emphasized that statehood and the restoration of Articles 370 and 35-A are important but would be “a long process involving the Supreme Court.”

He added, “For ten years, it has become hard to earn a proper living; the happy, good old days are nowhere to be seen,” expressing his belief that elections would “restore the past glory.”

Zahoor Ahmad Lone, 25, a graduate and first-time voter, has high hopes that his village will see a boost in development.

Besides employment opportunities, Lone wants to see his village become a gateway to high alpine lakes like Sheerasar, “which is something we have been promised,” he said.

Lone also wants his village to have basic facilities, from fire services to doctors in hospitals. “I have full faith that the one I’ve chosen will fulfill all our demands,” he added.