कश्मीर में 14 चुनावी उम्मीदवार बने कश्मीरी पंडित, 10 वर्ष मेंहुआ बड़ा बदलाव

14 Kashmiri Pandits are candidates in Kashmir, a big change in 10 years

14 Kashmiri Pandits are candidates in the elections this time. This figure is the highest in the last several elections. 4 Pandits contested the elections in 2014, 12 in 2008 and 9 in 2002. In 1990, when the Pandits had to leave the valley, there were about 800 families who did not agree to leave their homes. But there are three lakh Kashmiri Pandits who could never return. Even though their votes never have the power to decide victory or defeat, their return in elections is a part of every leader's speech and political manifesto.

Dr. Sandeep Mawa, who fights for the rights of Pandits, says that in the 90s, when his father used to go to cast his vote, the leaders present at the booth used to say, Panditji go back, your vote has been cast. 34 years ago, BJP leader Teeka Lal Taploo was killed by terrorists in Srinagar. This was the first murder of a Pandit politician in the valley. Taploo's son Ashutosh says, no matter how much atrocities were committed on the Pandits, they neither took up arms, nor threw stones, nor protested. They just remained patient.

Anjali Raina was in BA when she had to leave her home in Srinagar in 1990 and come to Jammu. While offering milk in the pond of Kheer Bhawani temple in Tulmul, she says, the colour of this water changes with the calamities that befell Kashmir. When the Pandits were chased away, the water of the pond had turned black. Roshanlal Mawa says, he was in the office in 1990. A terrorist came and asked for fennel. After this, he fired four bullets in his stomach and shoulder. He survived, but the wounds never healed. PN Bhatt says, no party can guarantee the return of the Pandits. A true election has never been held here.

Habba Kadal, a seat in downtown Srinagar notorious for stone pelting, demonstrations, strikes and terrorism, is the seat where the maximum number of voters and the maximum number of candidates are Kashmiri Pandits. Six Pandit candidates are contesting from this seat and about 25 thousand voters are Pandits. Pyarelal Handu contested the election from here in 1987. He also won twice from this seat. In 2002, Raman Mattoo won from here as an independent candidate and became a minister in the Mufti government. This time BJP's Ashok Bhatt is the candidate. Sanjay Saraf is contesting the election for the fourth time. He says, 99 percent of the crowd campaigning for me are Muslims. This angle of politics is special that these Kashmiri Pandits are either independent or are contesting as part of a party whose status is not very special. Apart from BJP, no major party gave him a ticket. Sanjay Saraf is contesting the election from Habba Kadal on the ticket of Bihar's Pashupati Paras' Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party.

Daisy Raina, contesting from Rajpora seat of Pulwama from Ramdas Athawale's Republican Party, is the first Pandit woman candidate to contest elections from Kashmir. Rakesh Handu from Srinagar Zadibal, Sanjay Parva from Budgam, Dilip Pandita from Shangas and Ramesh Wangu from Pampore are contesting as independents. Ashok Kumar Kachru from All Alliance Democratic Party is the only Pandit candidate from Bhaderwah. His party has given ticket to MK Yogi. Kashmiri Pandits, who have been displaced from their lands for so many years on the pretext of patience, do not expect a return after 10 years from this festival of politics. They just want the well-being of Kashmir, so that their loved ones remain safe here, and when they come here for Devi Puja on Ashtami every year, they get peace along with blessings.