Asian Mail
Pulwama: For years, voters in Kashmir’s Pulwama district lived in fear of retribution for exercising their right to vote. Many, like Mymoona, would cast their ballots and then quickly remove the voting ink to avoid detection . However, times have changed.
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Mymoona, 62, proudly displayed her inked finger to the media, symbolizing a shift in mindset. “Times have changed, ideologies have changed, and the ground realities have changed,” she said with a gentle smile .
Pulwama, once a hotbed of militancy, has witnessed a decline in violence and stone-pelting incidents since 2016. The district has instead seen a rise in start-ups, earning praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for being the best pencil-producing district in the country.
Youth like Adil Yousuf, 24, are now embracing voting as a means to achieve their desires. “Whatever we have to achieve, we have to achieve through votes now. We can’t pick up guns and stones again,” Adil said, emphasizing the power of voting.
The fear of repercussions for voting has diminished, and voters are no longer hesitant to show off their inked fingers. As Adil put it, “When those who would call for boycott are roaming around with inked fingers, why should I remove it? There is none to ask me why I have voted.”
