APRIL 30, 2009: Jammu: Policemen cane charging Kashmiri Hindus refugees belonging to Jammu and Kashmir Nationalist Movement (JKNM) to prevent them from marching towards the camp polling booth at Muthi while they were protesting against the denial of their voting rights - in Jammu on Thursday, April 30, 2009. Photo by Raman Raina |
ho among us has not been asked the question, “What place do you belong to?” Another variation, usually for those in the U.S.A would have been, “Where are you from?” As world citizens our answers would have varied depending on where exactly we were living at the time of the question; Gurgaon, Goregaon, Georgia... More often than not, we would have got a follow up question; “No, where are you from, Really?” That answer for all Kashmiris, be it Hindu or Muslim, would have been Kashmir. Yes, all Kashmiri Hindus belong to Kashmir; Really. In fact, they are the original inhabitants of the valley and everyone else came after.
Where is the media? Where are the Secular Celebrities? Where is the outcry? Where is the Election Commission? Where is the Government of India? They need to act now if India has to remain a multi-cultural, multi-religious, multi-lingual democratic republic.
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Below are some of the comments received by Shehjar in this regard:- Deletion of names of KP voters from the electoral roles is an issue that has been agitating the community for a long time now. Even those who differed earlier with this aspect of political empowerment within community have also realised the importance of registered voters in a democratic polity. India Votes but the Pandits don’t get to... Panun Kashmir Youth Front condemns the brutal lathicharge on protesting K.P's Peaceful protests for basic fundamental rights allowed for every Indian citizen. Keeping us away from our right to vote is unconstitutional and deliberately planned by the respective ruling governments of both J&K and New Delhi. Dr.Faroq abdullah's opinion that those KP's who moved out of J&K to other parts of India before 1947-48 are non state subjects is an example of state policy of systematic elimination of KP's from the electoral process. Form-M has been used as a tool by the state and central government to keep us away from voting. We extend our whole hearted support to the protesters fighting for our rights and pray to almighty to give us the strength to fight for our collective goals.. Around 25000 Jews in Iran have constitutional rights equal to other Iranians and Jews have a representative in parliament. In India the State of Sikkim has 32 Assembly seats and out of the 32 seats, one for the Sangha (monks) spread across the state of Sikkim. |
*Arun Koul has been volunteering with several social services organizations and forums. He helped some of these organizations to create Membership Outreach Systems and other platforms for communication, interactivity, debate and discussion. . . Currently, he is on the editorial board of Shehjar E-Magazine - Kashmirgroup.com Portal and also manages its IT infrastructure needs and Software Application platforms. |
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Freedom means the right to elect your own representatives. I guess that the Kashmiri Hindus are not yet free, even 60+ years after independence
Added By Shyam Bhan
The ethenic cleansing of Kashmiri Pandits from Kashmir Valley is being systematically regularised by powers that be at Srinagar and New Delhi in stark and defiant manipulaton of rules.It needs courage to pinpoint such anti Kashmiri Pandit moves.Arun Koul has that in plenty.All of us need to be inspired to sit up and ponder.
Added By pushkar ganjoo
1) This article comes at a time when the nation awakened to a deplorable M-form requirement by the Election Commission thus ineffectuating the right of Kashmiri Pundits to vote in these 2009 elections. The travesty of justice and unfairness is also most glaring in the reduction to the number of Kashmiri Pundit voters in the valley. We complain of the execution of Article 370 (as opposed to its practical basis) as the reason for a continued and subtle exodus of Kashmiri Hindus from the valley
Added By Kartikeya Tanna
2) Here we are faced with a situation where the jurisdiction of an independent autonomous quasi-judiciary body of India - the Election Commission - came about as a result of persistence on part of the executers a few decades ago to bring some order to the troubled State. The process under Article 370 was used to ensure that for elections conducted in the State of J&K, the Election Commission has the jurisdiction and responsibility to conduct free and "fair" elections.
Added By Kartikeya Tanna
3) The Kashmiri minorities (the Hindus, Sikhs etc) feel relieved that the Election Commission shall ensure that the offshoots of Article 370 don't hamper free and fair elections - an important ingredient of which is a right to vote. The Election Commission comes up with these onerous requirements and more so, deletion of thousands of names from the voters' list!! There was a silent protest in Delhi by a group of Kashmiri Pundits and a 100 word article in major newspapers.
Added By Kartikeya Tanna
4) I don't blame one of the lead protestors when he says that if Muslims are deprived of rights far less significant than voting, the nation is burnt and there is unrest, but if the same unfairness is meted out to Kashmiri hindus, no soul seems bothered except the state BJP unit of J&K that will lose out on Hindu votes and miss out on a few seats. If Article 370 was not enough to "minoritize" the Kashmiri Hindus, a respectable body of our country turning a deaf ear to a plea for fair elections.
Added By Kartikeya Tanna
It saddens me to see that the media coverage was minimal, the political parties turned a deaf ear to it and the National Conference government which claims to be "secular" did not bother about this obvious injustice and unfairness. I am saddened with the plight of our politicos and their convenience in ignoring such issues.
Added By Kartikeya Tanna
Question was on attached magazine "Kashmir belongs to who?" Simple answer: half belongs to Pakistan (azad), part belongs to china (given by Pakistan) and half unsafe area belongs to India. Indian government & people are weak politically around the globe so one day whole Kashmir will belong to Muslims of Pakistan. Nothing much to say. Sad & shameful.
Added By KanyaLal Patel