Say it is injustice with minority Pandits, accuse BJP of appeasement

A Kashmiri Pandit organisation has opposed the delimitation process in Jammu and Kashmir on the basis of 2011 Census and called upon the Central Government to first allow people to apply for domicile certificates.

The group said if 2011 Census was taken as basis for delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies in J&K, it would be great injustice with displaced Hindus of Kashmir, whose names have been erased from electoral rolls during last three decades.

Chairman of the Reconciliation, Return and Rehabilitation of Migrants, Satish Mahaldar said, “It seems BJP is trying to appease those elements in the Valley, which have caused the persecution of minorities and have soft corner for separatist agenda.”

“Over two lakh displaced Pandits are not enrolled in the electoral roll of Kashmir nor are they registered with the Relief Department. The names of Hindus have been deliberately erased from the electoral records in the present Parliamentary constituencies in Kashmir,” he alleged.

The group demanded that the government should first complete the process to allow people to get domicile certificates.

Mahaldar claimed that it was becoming increasingly clear that the Government of India was not interested in rehabilitating the “persecuted community of Kashmiri Pandits” in the Valley as promised on the floor of the Parliament.

After completing the domicile process for the Kashmiri Pandits, it should be ensured that their names are enrolled in the respective Parliamentary constituencies as specified in their domicile certificates, said Mahaldar.

Pertinently, the social and political groups in Jammu are also opposing the move to carry out delimitation on the basis of 2011 Census.

Various Jammu-based organisations have claimed that Census data was fudged in the past to favour Kashmir valley.

Courtesy: Daily Tribune:  31st  May, 2020