While May Day has a different connotation all over the world, in Kashmir it brings back the memories of a multidimensional personality who remains almost unique to those who knew him personally or through his writings. The memories of Shameem Ahmed Shameem are generally sweet and fragrant but for the pain he suffered for his political activities.
His contribution to journalism, oratory, wit, repartee and literature are recounted regularly and they never sound like stale or repetitious. But one aspect of the late Shameem in my opinion remains understated. That is his contribution to making votes relevant in real sense to the electoral politics. And, his role in doing that and creating a consciousness about it is without doubt pioneering.