Geelan's vilage boycotts polls, polling staff

DANISH NABI

Doru (Sopur), Dec 7: Obliging poll boycott call by the Coordination Committee, pro-freedom leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s home village, Doru, observed complete boycott on Sunday. Till 12:30 PM not a single vote was cast at the three polling booths in this north Kashmir constituency. The locals even denied civic facilities to the polling staff in the area.
The polling booths here wore a deserted look with only polling staff and troopers inside. Since morning the residents had gathered outside the polling stations to see if anybody would vote cast vote and they inquired the vote count from every media person who returned from the booth.
“We are sitting here since morning to see if anybody would dare to vote,” the residents said.
The residents came out on the streets raising pro-freedom and anti-India slogans. The protestors pelted stones at the troopers who responded by baton charge and firing several tear gas rounds. Troopers also fired several bullets in the air to disperse the protestors, however, when the situation went out of control, more force was called into the area.
A protestor, wishing anonymity, said, “Coordination Committee’s call is the ultimate word for us.  Not even a single person will vote here, rather we will see who dares to enter the polling booth.”
“The people that voted in the earlier phases do not understand what Azadi means. They think the elected leaders would help them but it is their misconception as the leaders have always betrayed this nation,” the protestors said, adding, “We have never voted and we will not vote this time also. Insha Allah victory will be ours.”
The residents have been observing complete social boycott with the polling staff that has been placed in the area. The staff has been denied all essential commodities including bread, food and water.
“People are not providing us anything here. When we go to the shopkeepers to buy something they refuse to sell us the goods. The people don’t even provide us the water for ablution,” Sajjad Ahmad, a poll staffer in the Doru 59-A polling station told Greater Kashmir.
“What have we done wrong? We are the employees and we are simply performing our duty.
The residents said the poll staff would not be provided any facilities as they have “betrayed the people of Kashmir.”
“They are negating the sacrifices of Kashmiris who laid their lives for the Kashmir cause. They are supporting India in conducting the elections and we have socially boycotted them,” the residents said.