Kashmiri migrants vote in Jammu yearning for return to Kashmir

Jammu, Sep 25: Kashmiri migrants Wednesday voted in Jammu enthusiastically with the “desire for early return to their roots in Kashmir, rehabilitation in a dignified manner and a peaceful life there.”

For women and youth voters of the Kashmiri migrant community, development, employment and women security were also high on the agenda as they exercised their right to vote in Special Polling Stations set up for them in different parts of Jammu.

There were over 15,000 Kashmiri Pandit (KP) migrants, eligible to vote in 15 assembly segments of three districts viz., Budgam, Ganderbal and Srinagar of Central Kashmir, which went to polls in the second phase of J&K assembly elections on Wednesday.

For them, 24 Special Polling Stations were set up at three places i.e., Jammu (19), Udhampur (1) and Delhi (4).

Rakesh Pandita, who voted in a Special Polling Station at Jagti, Ngrota, while speaking to media, stated that he was very elated to exercise his constitutional right to get what he aspired for. Preeti Raina wanted to elect a representative who could ensure development of the community besides addressing its other major concerns. “We want our state back. We want to return to Kashmir – our motherland. This time again, we’re voting for this yearning high on our minds. If we don’t return to Kashmir; we will be cut off from our roots forever. Employment for our youth is also our major concern,” she said.

R Bhat stated that by scrapping the complicated M Form, the government had conceded to the long-pending demand of the community. “In the past, due to cumbersome process, a majority of community voters could not vote, generating a false perception that they were apathetic to this democratic exercise. But following scrapping of M Form and enabling self-certification, the community exuberantly participated in the Lok Sabha polls. Same trend is being witnessed in assembly elections. We are thankful to the Election Commission, the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister for this,” he said, adding that however, return and rehabilitation continued to be the “main issue, concern and demand” of the community even during this election.

K Razdan, while spelling out major issues which drove her to the Polling Station, said, “We are living in Pounichak at present and are suffering for basic amenities like, road, water, transport, maintenance of lanes, by-lanes and proper drainage system.”

Archana Koul from Pounichak also echoes the same issues of scarcity of power, water and poor drainage system in their locality.

“No doubt, Prime Minister Narendra Modi did a lot for us. But in Jammu, we have suffered a lot during the last 35 years as migrants. The way we have suffered, we don’t want our children to undergo the same agony. Security of our daughters is also a concern for us,” she said.

Rohini Pandita also described the safety of women as a major concern.

“We don’t want a Kolkata kind of incident happening here. Besides, we want the upcoming government to enhance migrant relief as inflation is spiralling up. As a major issue for the community, we desire that the new government should come out with a tangible return and rehabilitation plan for us.”