New Delhi, June 27: President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday highlighted the high voter turnout in Jammu and Kashmir in the Lok Sabha elections and said Kashmir has given a befitting reply to the enemies of India by breaking polling records of many decades.
Addressing a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament after the constitution of the 18th Lok Sabha, President Murmu also said the Constitution has fully come into force in Jammu and Kashmir where things were different earlier due to Article 370.
“The Kashmir Valley broke all records of voter turnout of many decades. In the last four decades, we have witnessed low voter turnout amidst shutdowns and strikes in Kashmir. Enemies of India continued to spread false propaganda at global forums, projecting it as an opinion of Jammu and Kashmir. But this time the Kashmir Valley has given a befitting reply to every such element within the country and outside,” she said.
Article 370, which accorded a special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was abrogated by the Centre on August 5, 2019, and the erstwhile state was divided into two union territories — Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
“A very heartening aspect of this election emerged from Jammu and Kashmir.
According to the Election Commission, the three seats in the Kashmir Valley — Srinagar (38.49 percent), Baramulla (59.1 percent), and Anantnag-Rajouri (53 percent) — recorded the highest voter turnout “in many decades” in the recent Lok Sabha elections.
“I also want to share with you some of my concerns. I would urge you to introspect on these issues and give concrete and constructive solutions to the country. In this era of communication revolution, disruptive forces are conspiring to weaken democracy and create fissures in society. These forces are present within the country and are also operating from outside the country. These forces resort to rumor-mongering, misleading the people, and misinformation. This situation cannot be allowed to continue unchecked<’ she said
