Asif Iqbal Naik
Kishtwar, October 22: The Indian National Congress organized a large-scale “Vote Chori Awareness Programme” in Kishtwar under the leadership of Senior Congress Leader G. M. Saroori. The event was part of Rahul Gandhi’s nationwide movement to protect democracy and expose electoral malpractices, aiming to ensure the sanctity of the people’s mandate.
The programme witnessed massive participation by several senior leaders, including Pyare Lal Shan, PCC State General Secretary; Irshad Sheikh PCC Secretary and Firdous Mingnoo, PCC Secretary; Rangeel Singh, Block President of Padder; Noor Hussain Lone, Block President of Kishtwar; Irshad Hussain, Working Block President of Padder; Shafiq Ahmed, Vice President of DCC; Ravi Shan, General Secretary of DCC; Anas Mujtaba Munshi, State General Secretary of PYC; Nayar Aamin Butt, President of DYC; Haris Ali, State Joint Secretary of PYC; and Suhail Sheikh, NSUI Representative, Ghulam Qadir Sheikh, Bidya Lal, Rohit Koul, Shabir Ahmed Lone, Mohd Rafi Sheikh, Irshad Ahmed, Shahnawaz Ahmed Malik, Tariq Masood, Khalid Hussain Sheikh, Mohd Iqbal, Jaffer Hussain, Ch. Ishaq, Khursheed Ahmed, Mohd Saleem Sheikh and hundreds of other Congress workers participated actively, reflecting the unity, determination, and growing strength of the Congress cadre at every level, making it one of the most significant political gatherings in the district’s recent time. The rally began from the residence of G. M. Saroori and culminated at the newly established Block Congress Office, Kishtwar. Party workers carrying tricolour flags, banners, and posters marched through the streets, raising slogans such as “Stop Vote Chori,” “Bharat Jodo, Democracy Bachao,” and “Rahul Gandhi Zindabad.” The rally became a symbol of unity and collective resistance against electoral manipulation.
Addressing the large gathering, G. M. Saroori said that the Vote Chori campaign is not just a slogan but a movement to protect the sanctity of the ballot.
“The Congress Party has always been the guardian of democracy in India,” Saroori said. “Our fight against vote chori is a fight to defend the constitutional values laid down by our forefathers. Every vote cast by a citizen must be respected, and no authority should be allowed to manipulate the people’s mandate.”
He called upon all Congress workers in District Kishtwar to take this campaign to every block, panchayat, and village. “We must organize similar programmes across the district so that people understand their rights and remain vigilant against any attempt to silence their voice. Democracy is not a gift; it is a responsibility, and every citizen must protect it,” he added.
Saroori also reminded the audience of the Congress Party’s historic legacy of safeguarding democratic institutions from the times of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi to the present leadership of Shri Mallikarjun Kharge and Shri Rahul Gandhi.
In his concluding remarks, Saroori thanked the people of Kishtwar for their overwhelming participation and reaffirmed that the campaign would continue across all blocks of the district.
“Our message from Kishtwar is clear—India’s democracy cannot be stolen. The Congress Party will protect it at all costs,” he declared.
Several senior Congress leaders delivered powerful speeches, reaffirming the party’s commitment to transparency and people’s empowerment.
PCC General Secretary Pyara Lal Shan said the Vote Chori campaign had rekindled a sense of duty among Congress workers. “The people of Kishtwar have always trusted Congress for its dedication to justice, equality, and secularism. We must not allow anyone to steal that trust through unfair means,” Shan said, urging the Election Commission to ensure free and fair elections.
PCC Secretary Irshad Ahmed Sheikh highlighted the role of youth in defending democracy. “Youth are the real guardians of democracy. They must remain aware of the tactics used to manipulate elections,” Sheikh said, announcing that the Youth Congress would soon launch awareness drives in rural areas of the district.
PCC Secretary Firdous Ahmed Mingnoo and General Secretary IYC J&K described the campaign as a moral movement to awaken public conscience. “When votes are stolen, democracy dies a silent death. We are here to awaken the people’s conscience,” he said, praising the strong public response to the rally.
Senior Congress Leader and Block President Kishtwar Noor Hussain Lone reaffirmed his solidarity with Rahul Gandhi’s national movement. “Kishtwar stands firmly with Rahul Gandhi Ji in this fight. We will not allow our rights, our votes, or our future to be stolen,” Lone declared.
State general secretary PYC, Ana’s Munshi and District Youth Congress President Nayar Aamin Butt emphasized that democracy depends on trust between the people and institutions. “When that trust breaks, the entire nation suffers. The Vote Chori campaign is about rebuilding that trust,” they said.
Several key resolutions were passed unanimously during the event, including:
* Continuing the Vote Chori campaign across all blocks of District Kishtwar.
* Strengthening grassroots democracy by establishing more block-level Congress offices.
Participants expressed gratitude to J&K PCC President Shri Tariq Hameed Karra for his guidance and direction in organizing the event. The programme concluded amid chants of “Rahul Gandhi Zindabad,” “Congress Zindabad,” and “Democracy Bachao, Desh Bachao.”
The newly inaugurated Block Congress Office became a symbol of growing political momentum and unity in the district.
