14 Kashmiri Pandits are candidates in this Kashmir election. This number is the highest in recent elections. In 2014, four Pandits contested the elections, in 2008 there were 12 and in 2002 there were nine. In 1990, when the Pandits had to leave the valley, about 800 families disagreed to leave their homes. But there are also three lakh Kashmiri Pandits who can never return. Although their votes may never have the power to decide the outcome, their return in elections is part of every leader’s speech and political manifesto.
Dr Sandeep Mawar, who campaigns for Pandit rights, said that in the 90s, when his father went to vote, leaders at the booths used to say, Pandit, go back, your votes have been cast. Thirty-four years ago, BJP leader Tika Lal Taplu was killed by terrorists in Srinagar. It was the first murder of a Pandit politician in the valley. Taplu’s son Ashutosh said that no matter how many atrocities the Pandits committed, they did not take up arms, pelt stones or demonstrate. They were just patient.
Water changes color due to disaster
Anjali Raina had to leave her home in Srinagar and move to Jammu in 1990 while studying in BA. She said that when offering milk in the pond of Kheer Bhavani temple in Tulmur, the colour of the water changes with the disasters in Kashmir. When the experts were driven away, the water of the pond turned black. Roshanlal Mawa said that he took office in 1990. A terrorist came and asked for fennel. Thereafter, four bullets were shot in the abdomen and shoulder. He survived but the wounds never healed. PN Bhatt said that no party can guarantee the return of Pandit. Genuine elections have never been held here.
Six Kashmiri Pandits to contest on Habbaka Dal seat
Habbakadal in the heart of Srinagar, notorious for stone-pelting, protests, strikes and terrorism, is the constituency with the highest number of Kashmiri Pandit voters and candidates. Six Pandit candidates will contest from this seat, which has about 25,000 Pandit voters. Pyareral Handu had contested elections from here in 1987. He won from this seat twice. In 2002, Raman Mattu contested as an independent candidate and won, becoming a minister in the Mufti government. The candidate this time is Ashok Bhatt of the BJP. Sanjay Saraf is contesting the election for the fourth time. He says 99% of the people campaigning for me are Muslims.
No major political party except the BJP has offered ticket to the Kashmiri Pandit.
What is special about this political angle is that these Kashmiri Pandits are either independent or part of political parties with no special status. No major party except the BJP has given him a ticket. Sanjay Saraf is contesting against Habba Kadal on the party ticket of Pashupati Paras’ Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party in Bihar.
First female Pandit candidate
Daisy Raina is the first woman candidate to contest the Kashmir constituency elections from the Ramdas Athawale-led Republican Party in Pulwama’s Rajpora constituency. Rakesh Handu from Srinagar’s Jadibal, Sanjay Parva from Budgam, Dilip Pandita from Shangas and Ramesh Vangu from Pampore are contesting as independents. Ashok Kumar Kachru from the All Alliance Democratic Party is the lone Pandit candidate from Bhadwa. While the Apni Party has given the ticket to MK Yogi.
There is no hope of returning to his land… Pandit only wants the welfare of Kashmiris
Kashmiri Pandits have been driven out of their land for so many years and don’t have any hope of coming back from this political festival after ten years. They just want the welfare of Kashmir and for their people to be safe here and for them to be safe in their prayers when they come here every year for Ashtami Puja.
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