Foreign diplomats observe voting in J-K

SRINAGAR: A group of New Delhi-based diplomats of fifteen countries including the United States, South Korea, South Africa, Spain and Singapore observed the voting in Srinagar as 26 constituencies went to the polls in the second phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Wednesday.

While official circles here termed the unprecedented invite extended by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to the foreign envoys to watch how free and fair elections are being held in J&K a significant diplomatic move to silence India’s detractors, the opposition questioned the wisdom behind it asserting that it tantamount to inviting foreign interference in an internal matter of the country. Asked former chief minister Omar Abdullah, “Do we really need certificates from them on how do we conduct an election?”

Soon after its arrival here the delegation comprising Charge d’affaires, deputy chiefs or other officials of the missions of the USA, Mexico, Guyana, South Korea, Somalia, Panama, Singapore, Nigeria, Spain, South Africa, Norway, Tanzania, Rwanda, Algeria, and Philippines earlier during the day drove to various parts of the Kashmiri capital under police escorts to see the voting underway at polling stations.

On emerging from a polling booth here, US Deputy Chief of Mission Jorgan K Andrews said, “It is fascinating to see how India organises its elections and how thorough the preparations are and how celebratory this period is”. Terming it as “very inspiring, very healthy and very democratic,” he said that it was heartening to see J&K is casting a vote after ten years.

Alice Chen of Singapore said, “The purpose of visiting Srinagar today is to observe polling and to see how democracy is working on the ground.” She added, “It looks a lot more festive here than we normally see on a polling day in Singapore”.

Lara Swart. Deputy Director at Department of International Relations and Cooperation at the South African High Commission, New Delhi, said that it was for the first time that she is visiting J&K and that too on a polling day. “I’m happy to be here and see how people are voting. It is really a privilege to be invited by the MEA to come and visit the polling stations.”

While some other visiting diplomats said that the process looked comparable to how the elections are conducted in their own countries, Sang Woo Lim, Deputy Chief of Mission and Minister Counsellor of the Korean embassy in New Delhi said, “It is a great experience to see especially how democracy is working on the ground very well. The people are enthusiastic about voting and that is the essence of democracy”. He appeared to be ecstatic particularly after being to a Pink polling booth, exclusively managed by female staff. He said, “This really is a great idea…pink polling stations...to get more people (females) to vote. It is fantastic. You should export this (idea) to other countries”. The visitors also interacted with the voters at a few places.

However, National Conference (NC) leader Mr. Abdullah called the visiting foreign diplomats as “guided tourists.” While speaking to reporters after casting his vote at a polling station set up at Srinagar’s Burn Hall School, Mr. Abdullah asked, “If diplomats can be brought here, why are foreign journalists not being permitted to come here and cover elections. The diplomats who are in Srinagar today have been brought here as guided tourists.”

He questioned the wisdom behind inviting foreign diplomats to observe the polling in J&K. “I don't know why foreigners should be asked to check elections here. When foreign governments comment, then the government of India says, 'this is an internal matter for India', and now suddenly they want foreign observers to come and look at our elections,” he said. He added that elections “are an internal matter for us and we do not need their certificate”.