Jammu:
Violent clashes broke out here on Thursday between police and Kashmiri Hindu migrants
protesting against not being allowed to vote. Chanting slogans of 'We Want Justice'
and 'We Want Vote', the protesters gathered outside the polling booth in Jammu
to vent their anger at being deprived of their voter identification cards by the
Election Commission, thus making them unable to vote. These people who have a
migrant's status in the region, said their names were not included in the voter's
list as result of which they cannot exercise their franchise in the ongoing elections.
The protesters lamented being left out by the Election Commission from the voter's
list and said out of 1,54,000 Kashmiri pundits registered in the relief commission
office, only 22, 818 have been registered in the voter's list. The protesters
said, they would continue with their protests till the time they are awarded with
their right to vote. "We condemn the elections. We are losing trust in the country's
democracy. But, we will get our demands fulfilled and are ready to pay any price
for it. We will continue with our protests till the time we get our right to vote
like every other Indian," said Nana Ji Wattal, a protester. The migrants had earlier
also held protests, outside the office of the Election Commission to protest the
discrepancy by the Commission.
Kashmiris defy boycott calls to cast their votes
Anantnag:
Defying the boycott call by the separatist faction of Hurriyat led by Syed
Ali Shah Geelani, residents came out in large numbers to cast their votes in Kashmir
on Thursday. While Srinagar wore a deserted look, in Anantnag residents thronged
the polling booths from early morning to cast their votes with hopes of electing
a government that would deliver on its promises. "We want to elect a candidate
who will help us and work for the upliftment and development of our region," said
Umer Majeed, one of the early voters. The separatists have called for a 50-hour
shutdown in the valley, against the polls. This is not the first time the separatists
have given a call for poll boycott in Kashmir . The separatists had to suffer
a major setback after residents defied the boycott call given by the Hurriyat
during the State Assembly polls held in November 2008 and came out in large numbers
to cast their votes. A prominent Kashmiri separatist leader Sajjad Lone, who had
given a call for poll boycott during the state elections, has decided to contest
during these general elections and raise the voices of Kashmiris in the Parliament.
Besides the Congress party and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the National
Conference (NC) and the People's Democratic Party (PDP) are also contesting in
the elections.
Bollywood
personalities cast their votes, urge
people to join in numbers
by
Parihash Hate
| |
Bollywood
celebrities take out time to cast their votes in Mumbai on Thursday |
Mumbai: Leading personalities of the tinsel
town of Bollywood queued up at various polling stations in Mumbai to cast their
votes in the third phase of the election to the Lok Sabha on Thursday. Ten parliamentary
constituencies in Mumbai and Thane districts went to the polls today, which incidentally
culminates the general election in Maharashtra. Among the stalwarts from Bollywood
who came forth early to cast their votes were the successful director-cum-producer
Karan Johar, Oscar award winning lyricist and filmmaker, Gulzar, actor Rahul Bose,
John Abraham, Amrita Rao, Paresh Rawal and legendary actors such as Prem Chopra
and Rishi Kapoor. Director Karan Johar was of the view that the citizens should
collectively take the country forward by electing the right candidates as their
representatives. "We teach everyone to go up there and cast their votes for a
better tomorrow in the country. Over and above we are on our way of being a very
fast developing nation and I think there may be some road blocks but we can still
achieve that goal and I think with the right people at the helm of things, we
will take India forward," said Karan Johar, ace Bollywood director-cum-producer.
Actor Rahul Bose, who exercised his electoral franchise at a polling booth in
the Peddar Road area of south Mumbai, said that whosoever comes to power, he/she
should treat all 'Mumbaikers' (residents of Mumbai) equally. Indeed, it was a
taunting remark at several fundamentalists like the Thackerays who have been spitting
venom at non-Maharashtrians. "We look for candidates who will look at the very
rich and the very poor equally - that for me is a big thing. A sense of inclusiveness
- not Maharashtra, non-Maharashtrian, not someone from north India, non-north
Indian; a sense of inclusiveness including for women, safety for women and a sense
of compassion," said Bose. "The fact that at the end of the day is that we are
all one city and whether it's a flood or bomb blasts, ultimately we have to be
treated like one city. That's the most important thing," observed actor Rahul
Bose. Actor John Abraham urged the young electorates to come out and exercise
their adult franchise. "All I want to say to the youngsters is that they should
come out and cast their votes. Please come out and vote," said John Abraham. The
constituencies where polling took place today were Mumbai North, Mumbai North-East,
Mumbai North-West, Mumbai North-Central, Mumbai South-Central, Mumbai South; Thane,
Kalyan, Bhiwandi and Palghar.
- Apr
30, 2009
