Do you remember Afzal Guru, the terrorist convicted for an attack on the Indian Parliament in 2001? Though he was sentenced to death in Delhi’s Tihar Jail in 2013, he found a place on the posters for the election campaign being used in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Election 2024. However, he failed to create a buzz in the politics of Jammu and Kashmir in this election though enough political storm was generated when he was hanged.
No Takers For Afzal Guru’s Brother
There are no takers for Afzal Guru now. It is evident by the fact that his brother Aijaz Ahmed Guroo has failed to create ripples though he is contesting as an independent candidate from Sopore, the hotbed of terrorism and hometown of deceased Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Geelani.
He disagrees with the policies adopted by his brother and he admits it openly. He has said several times in his campaign rallies that his policies are different from those of his brother, who was hanged for his separatist ideology and role in the attack on the Indian Parliament.
Aijaz Ahmed Guroo Talks About Development, Jobs
Instead of the referendum in Kashmir according to the UN resolution, Aijaz Ahmed Guroo talks about unemployment, inflation and backwardness. He promises to the people who gather around him out of curiosity that he will work for infrastructure, development and the creation of jobs. He argues that the rich-poor divide has widened in the last five years, and the poor find it difficult to make ends meet, though the rich are not affected. He vows to fight against the spiraling inflation.
Sopore is known for apple orchards and most of the people from different strata of society are linked to apple cultivation and trade directly or indirectly. He promises to take up the issue and see that the trade flourishes despite the import of the US apples.
Guroo Hits Out At National Conference
Guroo takes on the National Conference head-on and holds it responsible for the atmosphere of fear and violence in the area. He clarifies that his vision is for peace and development.
Afzal On Campaign Posters
Aijaz Ahmed Guroo moves from door to door, meets the people directly, and hands over his election pamphlet with images of his deceased brother printed on it, but also distances himself from his policies. He expresses his faith in the Indian Constitution and talks about voicing the people of Kashmir Valley outside of the area.
Holding a microphone in an election rally, Guroo vows to tackle the issues people face every day and address the needs of the underprivileged. He emphasises that the challenges faced by Sopore mirror the broader problems across Jammu and Kashmir.
Low Turn Out In Sopore
However, the biggest problem Guroo faces is not the threat from terrorists or the fear of being arrested by the security forces. He faces the challenge of taking the people to the polling booths.
Syed Ali Geelani was elected from Sopore three times. But after he quit electoral politics, joined the separatist movement, and became the most important symbol of the separatist movement, he boycotted the polls. His supporters, sympathisers of the Hurriyat Conference and militants appealed to boycott the elections.
Consequently, the voter turnout in Sopore has historically been low, except the 2008 assembly elections, when 19% of the voters used their right of franchise. However, it went up to 30% in 2014. The 2024 Lok Sabha elections witnessed significant voter participation with the turnout reaching 45%.
No one knows if Aijaz Ahmed Guroo will win the election from Sopore. But it is clear that Afzal Guroo has failed to solicit sympathy for his brother, the separatist movement has failed to create ripples this election and the election issues are like those in the rest of the country.
