Will Displaced Kashmiri Pandits Boycott Upcoming J&K Assembly Elections in Kashmir Valley?

By: Kundan Kashmiri

As the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections draw near on September 18, 2024, the displaced Kashmiri Pandit (KP) community faces a critical decision: should we participate in these elections or abstain ( boycott)?and what for to participate in these elections in Kashmir valley..
This is not merely a question of casting a vote; it is a matter of ethics, and the principles that guide our actions as responsible citizens.

For over 35 years, the displaced KP community has been living in exile, far removed from the Valley, the reality is that we no longer live there. We are scattered across India, in Jammu, Delhi, UP, Chandigarh, and other places, where we avail ourselves of civic facilities, schools, hospitals, and other essentials. These are the regions where our lives have been rebuilt, where our children study, and where our communities have flourished. Yet, when election time comes, we are being asked by political parties, politicians and agencies to cast our votes for candidates in the Valley, the candidates we do not know, who have never worked for us, and who remain distant from our struggles.and some are partly responsible for our exodus and destruction.

Dear displaced KP brothers, is it morally justifiable to cast a vote in a place we have not lived in for over three decades? Is it not a form of dishonesty to vote for individuals, who have selfish interest, who have no stake in our welfare, while ignoring our present area representatives who actually serve us in our current places of residence? This is not just about electoral participation; it is a matter of human character, ethics, and integrity. Can we, in good conscience, cast a proxy vote in the Valley, knowing that it goes against the principles of fair representation and democratic integrity? And when our children, or future generations, ask us why we participated in such a flawed process, what will our answer be?

Dear displaced KP community brothers, we must consider this matter deeply, free from external pressures and emotional manipulation. Voting in the Valley under these circumstances is not just a vote, it is a compromise of our moral standards.which can be only expected from illiterates,and unethical people, not from the most civilized and literate people of Kashmiri Pandits, it is a betrayal of the principles of truth, humanity, and ethical conduct that our community has always upheld.

Dear displaced KP brothers, , we urge you to ponder this seriously: does participating in this election in valley, is morally, humanly, democratically correct, and truly serve our long-term interests, or is it time to demand a more just and representative system?
Should we not make a powerful statement by abstaining ( boycotting ) from this flawed process, thereby expressing our dissatisfaction and displeasure to the Government of India and the Government of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for ignoring and isolating us as well as forcing us to vote in valley when we are not residing there from the last 35 years, and is fraud and flawed process for us.

This is a call to action for every displaced Kashmiri Pandit. Do not let political hunger and false propaganda by selfish political parties , their agents and agencies to sway you. Do not leave behind a wrong precedence, legacy of compromised ethics for the coming generations. The choice before us is clear: we can either cast our votes in a manner that upholds the highest standards of character, or we can choose to abstain (boycott ) these flawed elections, making a strong and principled stand for a better future.

(The author is President, Kashmiri Pandit Conference)