Bagtore, Gurez: Hundreds of young Gurezi men have served in the Army as porters, but their homeland in northern Kashmir has remained largely ignored, with access to water, roads, and employment still limited. But a new road project connecting Gurez to Drass and Kargil has rekindled hopes for change among the people.
The Gurez assembly constituency in Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a triangular contest this election, featuring Bharatiya Janata Party candidate and one-time MLA Faqeer Muhammad Khan, three-time National Conference MLA Nazir Ahmad Khan (Gurezi), and Democratic Progressive Azad Party’s Nisar Ahmad Lone.
While the BJP ran a focused campaign in Gurez on the back of the new road project, hoping to win its first seat in Kashmir, all candidates had prominent leaders throwing weight behind them. The three parties have promised voters development, employment, and a “mosque twice as big as Babri Masjid”. And it is anyone’s guess who will get the mandate of the Gurezis.
On the banks of the Kishanganga dam reservoir in Wanpora, Gurez. | Praveen Swami | ThePrintA young man waves a National Conference flag in the village of Sarad Aab, Gurez. | Praveen Swami | ThePrintGenerations of Gurezis worked as porters, but the young people now have bigger ambitions. Unemployment has emerged as the biggest problem in Sarad Aab. | Praveen Swami | ThePrintA BJP flag hangs in a traditional wooden home in Purani Tulail, Gurez. | Praveen Swami | ThePrintWooden homes are often damaged by snowfall in Gurez’s villages, including Purani Tulail. | Praveen Swami | ThePrintIn Purani Tulail, women collect water from mountain streams for household use | Praveen Swami | ThePrint
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)
Also Read: In Kashmir’s Gurez valley, BJP bets big on winning ‘Wazir vs Faqir’ battle as Gurezis seek ‘justice’
Denial of responsibility! Todays Chronic is an automatic aggregator of the all world’s media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, all materials to their authors. If you are the owner of the content and do not want us to publish your materials, please contact us by email – todayschronic.com. The content will be deleted within 24 hours.
