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| Why are Kashmiri Hindu migrant voters losing interest in election? | | 'BJP, Kashmiri parties on same page' | | Masood Malik
Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 10: There has been high voter turnout in the Assembly elections in all the three phases across the state, including Kashmir that was known for low voter turnout and frequent boycott calls. Interestingly, while the Muslim voters in Kashmir have shown keen interest in the assembly elections and participating in all the three phases in very large numbers, the participation of Kashmiri Hindu migrant voters has not been that high. In fact, their polling percentage consistently declined.
In the first phase of election, 60.5 per cent migrant voter voted. In the second phase of election, 58.56 per cent Kashmiri Hindu migrant voters exercised their right to vote. In other words, the voting percentage declined by almost 2 per cent. In the third phase of election on December 9, only 56 per cent of the Kashmiri Hindu migrant voters went to the polling booths to cast their vote. As for Kashmiri Muslim voters, 58 per cent of the eligible voters among them exercised their right to vote. In other words, Kashmiri Muslim voters showed more interest in the election which was held yesterday in 18 assembly constituencies in Kashmir as compared to the Kashmiri Hindu migrant voters who exercised their right to vote in the polling booths set up for them outside Kashmir Valley in Jammu, Delhi and Udhampur.
Why did not Kashmiri Hindu migrant voters come out in large numbers? Why did not 100 per cent of the Kashmiri Hindu migrant voters exercise their right to vote? There was a view that hundred per cent migrant voters would vote this time, as the Election Commission had set up 26 special polling booths for them and that these internally displaced Kashmiri Hindu voters would come out in large numbers and vote for the BJP candidates. The Kashmiri media highlighted this aspect to the extent possible. Kashmiri commentators also did the same and repeatedly expressed the view that all the Kashmiri Hindu migrant voters would vote en-block for the BJP and could ensure the victory of the BJP in about half a dozen assembly constituencies in the Valley. But this did not happen much to the chagrin of the poll managers in the BJP. But happened was just contrary. The Kashmiri Hindu migrant voters did not show much interest despite all the political parties approached them and urged them to exercise their franchise in favour of their candidates. There were reports that the "RSS cadres had made all efforts to motivate migrant voters to come out in large numbers so that the BJP wins some seats in the Valley".
When asked to explain why the poll percentage among the Kashmiri Hindu migrant voters declined from 60.5 per cent in the first phase to 56 per cent in the third phase, a Kashmiri Hindu migrant, himself a voter, told that "Kashmiri Hindus have lost interest in the assembly election as all the political parties, including the BJP, the Congress, the NC and so on, are on the same page as far as their attitude towards Kashmir and Kashmiri Muslims is concerned".
"We wanted to vote for BJP considering the fact that it would pursue a different line, but it disappointed the minority communities in the state by abandoning its ideology to please the fanatics in the Valley. It not only abandoned its ideology but it also openly flirted with separatist forces in the Valley taking the minority communities for a ride. We didn't want to vote for the parties like the NC and the Congress. Since there is no difference between the BJP and other Kashmiri parties, many Kashmiri Hindu voters, including myself, decided not to vote. Why should we vote for parties which only talk about Kashmiriyat, which was responsible for our persecution and exodus? The BJP is worse than the Congress and other Kashmiri parties. We are disappointed and feeling badly let down," he said.
It is significant to note that not one but many Kashmiri Hindu migrant voters expressed identical views. The crux of his whole argument was that it was the BJP which is responsible for the decline in the polling percentage as far as Kashmiri Hindu migrant voters is concerned. It is a dangerous signal for the party. |
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