What explains the low turnout so far for the Indian elections in southern Kashmir?
When the third phase of the Indian general elections began on April 23, tens of millions went out to exercise their right to vote in 95 constituencies across India.
The clashes intensified when in 2016 troops killed rebel commander Burhan Wani, sparking mass protests and resulting in a deadly crackdown by Indian forces, which has killed hundreds of civilians and rebels alike. Just before the election, authorities launched a massive crackdown against separatist leaders in Kashmir in order to prevent calls of a poll boycott. But by banning groups like Jamaat-e-Islami and the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front , and arresting their members, they have succeeded in pushing more people away from the political process.
Kashmiri voters stand in a queue outside a polling station during the third phase of India's general elections, at Kapran, south of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir [Mukhtar Khan/AP Photo] “I voted but it wasn’t for jobs and development,” said 27-year-old Bilal Ahmad, a shopkeeper in Anantang’s Dooru village.
For the mainstream local parties, reaching out to people in south Kashmir has been difficult, and they blame the “betrayal from New Delhi” for the low voter turnout.
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