1996: When Kashmiri Pandits `dissociated’ from Lok Sabha Polls!

( Kashmir Rechords Archives)

It was during 1996 Lok Sabha elections when  over 2.25 Lakh  Kashmiri Hindu voters  had reportedly  resolved to “dissociate’’ themselves  from the Parliament election process in the  then State of Jammu and Kashmir.

The call for boycotting the elections was given by six Kashmiri Pandit organisations, which included Panun Kashmir Movement (PKM), All India Kashmiri Samaj (AIKS), All India Kashmiri Samiti (AIKS), All India Kashmiri Pandit Conference (AIKPC), Kashmiri Hindu Fire Sufferers Forum (KHFSF) and Panun Kashmir (PK).  Panun Kashmir Movement ( PKM) convenor, now BJP leader, Mr Ashwani Kumar  Chrangoo  had disclosed the same during a Press Conference held in Jammu on April 16, 1996.

For the benefit of readers, Kashmir Rechords is reproducing one of the newspaper cuttings of that Press Conference carried prominently by  many National and local dailies.

Justifying the `boycott’’ decision, Mr Ashwani Kumar Chrangoo had listed three main reasons “forcing’’ the community not to take part in the polls. Firstly, the situation, according to him was not conducive for holding any such polls. Secondly, no Kashmiri Pandit had a chance to be elected and thirdly, the electoral roll was not “authentic.”

The PKM Convenor  had,  however, “advised’’ one lakh  community member voters residing  in other parts of the country  to  play a positive role  by exercising  their franchise  in favour of those  whom they consider “patriotic and nationalist’’.

Vaishnavi Blamed for `Violation’

Ashwani Kumar Chrangoo during the same Press Conference had accused the president of ASKPC and a BJP nominee from Srinagar, Mr Amar Nath Vaishnavi for “violating” the provisions of his organisation’s constitution by jumping into the poll fray.

Demanding political dispensation for KPs under `’Homeland”, Mr Ashwani Kumar had regretted that the “community had been marginalised and reduced to non-entity by the political system that got established in the State’’.

Vaishnavi’s Response

Next day on April 17, 1996, the BJP nominee  from Srinagar, Mr Amar Nath Vaishnavi, who was accused of “violations’’ by jumping into the fray, had promised that his Party would declare the Kashmiri migrants as internally displaced people if  BJP  was voted to power at the  Centre. He had listed many other welfare measures for the community, which included creation of employment avenues for the displaced youth, welfare schemes for migrant women, financial assistance, and health care residential and educational facilities on the priority basis.

Denying Mr Chrangoo’s  charges that his party  (ASKPC) had ever supported the poll boycott call and signed any resolution in this regard, Mr Vaishnavi had made it clear that the question of boycotting Parliamentary elections by Kashmiri Pandits did not  arise at all as such a move was bound to help the   subversive elements.