* Youngsters expect good roads, development in villages
Sanjeev K. Sharma
VIJAYPUR, Dec 4: Though, like many others, they too remained innocent about the yet to be formed District Development Councils (DDCs), elections to whose members are underway in the newly formed Union Territory of J&K, yet, most elders who casted their votes today in the third phase of ongoing elections to these maiden rural local bodies, said participation in the democratic process was their duty.
It is pertinent to mention here that DDC elections are being held in J&K for the first time after independence as the abrogation of Article 370 which gave special status to the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir State paved way for these polls.
The senior citizens who participated in today’s elections almost held similar views at all the polling stations in Vijaypur area of Samba district with a nonagenarian claiming that he had voted for PM Modi though the polls were to DDC members.
Clearly he was seemingly fascinated by the PM to an extent that by voting for some candidate for the local body, he thought he has voted for the PM.
Accompanied by his grandson, Sanji Ram, 90, after casting his vote at Government Primary School, Maroon said he like PM Modi.
“Modi has done many good works after becoming PM but we want good road and electric poles in our village,” the innocent but enthusiastic elder told this journo after casting his vote.
Jeet Rani, 63, at the same polling station said, she came to know from the contesting candidates when they visited her during campaigning that she has to cast her vote as it is something very important to do.
Meanwhile, there were many elders who said that they very well know that like other elections nothing will happen this time too.
Janak Raj, 62, a retired banker, from Govindpuri after casting his vote said, what the earlier elected public representatives have done is before all of us.
“But as these local bodies will be formed for the first time we should wait and watch things,” he maintained.
“Voting is our duty which we have to do and I expect solution to the problem of unemployment and price rise of essential commodities,” Chaman Lal, 76, a retired army-man from Govindpuri, a locality near Vijaypur town said at a polling station established in Government Higher Secondary School Vijaypur.
Views of 1947 born Melo Devi at same polling station were very innocent as she said that she casted her vote because others were also doing the same.
Babu Ram, 75, a farmer from Trilokpur who casted his vote at Govt Girls Middle School Dharmore said he expect development and good works from the winning candidates of DDC elections after they assume their offices.
However, Sheetal, 27, a research scholar in Physics at University of Jammu said she has voted to a candidate of her choice as she wants the new local body there to function properly.
She informed that there should be social security for poor classes of the society and informed that her locality Govindpuri has a problem of garbage disposal.
Vijay Kumar, 38, a Government employee who casted his vote at a polling station established in Government Middle School Jakh, informed that his locality Channi near Jakh lacks good roads, lanes, drains and there is cleanliness and sanitation problem too.
Similar problems were highlighted by Anita, 29 a graduate and Ranjit Singh, 48, from Indian army who hoped that after the winning candidates assume their offices these problems may get some solution.
Apart from these Kulbeer Singh, 44 and Sanjay Kumar Sharma, 47, both from Dhamore said many farmers are getting money in their accounts and many developments have taken place in their villages after PM Modi led government took over from the earlier regime.
They said that they expect similar things to continue and for that they have casted their votes.
Though many polling stations have very thin presence of voters, at Govt Middle School Channi Manahasan near popular shrine of Swankha there was a huge rush of voters and social distancing was nowhere in sight.
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