Sopore (Jammu and Kashmir): Brath village of Sopore town in north Kashmir's region of Baramulla district stood up for the first time to cast their vote for the revocation of the 'Red Zone' tag.
According to media reports from Ground Zero in the once-hotbed of militancy, the Brath area, a large number of voters stated that they are fighting this time for their dignity, as they have been declared a 'Red Zone' area. They said that they cast their vote for their protection and, more importantly, for the revocation of the 'Red Zone' tag.
Local residents of Brath said that the lack of development is the concern for which they came forward on Monday to cast their votes. A local resident said this time, without any fear or pressure, the locals stood up to fight for their rights.
"We came out of our homes on our own wish as nobody forces us to vote. Earlier, we were scared of voting, but now the situation has altogether changed and we are up for change as we believe a vote is the only way out for us," the local resident asserted.
A first-time voter in this once-election boycott area said that one must cast his or her vote, as it is his or her right, and through the vote, one can choose his or her representative who can fight for the well-being and a bright future.
The first-time voter, a female, further stated that this vote was very important for her, as she is coming forward for the first time with the aim of choosing the right person, the one who will have a vision and will really fight back for the people's rights and voice.
An elderly voter termed the peaceful situation another ground factor that helps people choose their representative, who can be different from the previous ones, as Kashmir needs a real voice and a real representative.
The voters added that they did not prefer to boycott this time, and the whole village came forward to cast their votes for the development of the area. A male voter said they also voted for their youth, who are behind bars so that they can come back and live a peaceful life.
Meanwhile, breaking the election boycott trend, Sopore, the town that used to be the hotbed of militancy for decades, participated in the ongoing electoral process on Monday with much enthusiasm and zeal.
The Baramulla Lok Sabha seat created history with a voter turnout of 59 per cent - the highest in history was reported and no violence was reported anywhere, CEO PK Pole said.
Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Pole highlighted the significant achievement of the Baramulla constituency. The people of Baramulla made history on Monday with the highest poll percentage ever recorded for the parliamentary seat and an election day free from any misadventure.
