• About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • Photo Box
  • Privacy Policy
Wednesday, January 27, 2021
Kashmir Bylines
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Literature
  • In Depth
  • Photo Box
  • Opinion
  • World
  • Login
  • Register
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Literature
  • In Depth
  • Photo Box
  • Opinion
  • World
No Result
View All Result
Kashmir Bylines
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Huge army for hidden faces: BJP holds tonga rally in Sopore, fails to break taboo

News Desk by News Desk
December 3, 2020 | 10:10 am
in News, Politics
Huge army for hidden faces: BJP holds tonga rally in Sopore, fails to break taboo

Photograph by Junaid Bhat for Kashmir Bylines

Srinagar: The north Kashmir town of Sopore in Baramulla district on Tuesday witnessed an election rally with Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders campaigning on tongas (horse-carts) for the ongoing District Development Council (DDC) elections.

The peculiar tonga rally was held in Mazbugh area of Sopore, five kilometres away from the main town, and the tongas were decorated with BJP flags.

Talking to KNO, Abdul Majeed, a Sarpanch from the area, said that it is for the first time in the past 30 years that a tonga rally was held “in favour of BJP” in the area.

Eyewitnesses said the rally was carried out amid a huge military and police deployment.

“This is a message of peace. In this rally, dozens of tonga drivers participated. We want to tell the people to come out and vote for the BJP candidate in the DDC polls and give the party a chance to serve the people of Sopore,” the Sarpanch said.

BJP General Secretary and J&K affairs in-charge, Vibodh Gupta, who was part of the rally, said that Sopore was once known as mini-London “but militancy and separatism blocked all means of development in this area.”

“Today’s Tonga rally is a direct message of people of Sopore that they are with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”

Though the BJP leaders shouted some slogans in favour of the party and Narendra Modi, many local participants shied away from being identified or captured in cameras, given the fact that supporting BJP in Kashmir is somewhat of a taboo and seen as a bigger ‘betrayal’.

Local women were seen hiding their faces with headscarves and dupattas while enjoying the ride.

“We promise the people of Sopore that if they choose a BJP candidate, we will set up an international [fruit] mandi in Sopore to give a fillip to the fruit market of Sopore,” the BJP General Secretary said on the occasion.

Gupta further said the “bumper polling” in the first two phases of DDC polls has given a message that “Kashmir has changed and there was no space for militancy and separatism”.

He said that BJP is committed to revive the economy of business hubs of Kashmir be that Lal Chowk of Srinagar or the once-popular mandi of Sopore.

Pertinently, Sopore, a town famous for its people production, is the hometown of senior Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani who recently called for a boycott of the ongoing DDC elections through his Pak-based representative, Abdullah Gilani.

The ailing patriarch hails from Dooru village of the town. On Tuesday, when the village was scheduled to go for polling, it kept with its tradition and boycotted the polls.

The village recorded a meagre 0.9 per cent voting. Electoral records revealed that the village polled only 15 votes against a total of 1600 registered voters.

However, scenes were slightly different in the broader Zaingeer area where some hundreds of voters turned up for voting.

In Dangerpora, Watlab, Warpora and Hathlangoo areas, many voters said though they know participating in elections have no bearing on the resolution of Kashmir issue, they have voted only with a hope that it will bring ‘development’ to their areas.

Many voters also said that keeping BJP at bay was their sole reason for taking part in the elections.

“There has been a lot of injustice with us so far. We don’t want to suffer any further,” a local said on Tuesday.

With additional inputs from KNO

ADVERTISEMENT
ShareTweetSendShare
ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

Police arrest 4 Budgam youth; claim recovery of grenades, other ammunition

Sopore: Police claims to have arrested 5 OGWs of LeT

by News Desk
January 9, 21
0

Sopore: Jammu and Kashmir police on Saturday evening claimed to have arrested five Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT)...

Nagrota gunfight: Police version

CASOs launched at multiple locations in Valley

by News Desk
January 8, 21
0

Srinagar: Cordon-and-search-operations (CASOs) were launched in various areas of Kashmir Valley on Friday.Kashmir News Trust...

Panic in Narbal after gunshot, one injured, police give different versions

Vehicle of BJP worker attacked by unknown gunmen in Bagh-e-Bahu Jammu

by News Desk
January 8, 21
0

Jammu: A BJP worker had a narrow escape as unknown gunmen attacked his vehicle near...

BJPDP broke after I refused to withhold militants’ bodies and crackdown on Jamaat, claims Mehbooba

BJPDP broke after I refused to withhold militants’ bodies and crackdown on Jamaat, claims Mehbooba

by News Desk
December 29, 20
0

Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday claimed...

NC testing HC’s remark; Farooq invites 4 ‘free to move’ leaders for meeting

DDC poll results attested acceptance of PAGD across J&K, rejection of Apni Party: NC

by News Desk
December 28, 20
0

National Conference (NC) on Monday rejected the remarks by Apni Party President against NC leadership...

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

LATEST NEWS

Handwara Massacre: The Sequel to Gawkadal Massacre

Locals allege harassment as surveillance, frisking intensify ahead of Indian R-Day in Kashmir

Minor girl found hanging at home in Kupwara

94 fresh COVID-19 cases in J&K, no new case in 11 districts

Jammu-Srinagar National highway to remain closed tomorrow: Authorities

Local Muslims walk on foot amid snow carrying dead body of Pandit stuck in Shopian

‘Infiltration tunnel’ detected along International border in Hiranagar sector

Militant hideout busted in Mandi Poonch: Police

Jammu-Srinagar highway closed following fresh snowfall

Mentally unsound woman wandering around Kupwara for 8 years found dead

Kashmir Bylines is now on Telegram. Click here to Join.
ADVERTISEMENT
Facebook Twitter Instagram Telegram Youtube

About us

Kashmir Bylines is an online media venture based in Kashmir. We aim to bring you news and views about politics, history, education and culture from the valley and beyond. We aspire to create an alternative space in media by making daily news a running commentary while carrying detailed views, analysis, opinions and reviews as well. With readers’ preferences shifting from print to digital modes, we opt to make your choice our own and be with you on your journey of awareness.

More Info

  • About Us
  • Contact Us

© 2020-2021 Kashmir Bylines

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Literature
  • In Depth
  • Photo Box
  • Opinion
  • World

© 2020-2021 Kashmir Bylines

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In