In 75 years, only 7 Kashmiri Hindus made to J&K Assembly Reservation of 2 seats pin hopes for community

Saroor
Jammu, Dec 17: As it was often claimed by the mainstream political parties that the Jammu and Kashmir is incomplete without the representation of the Kashmiri Hindus and in the 75 years of independence, till August 5, 2019, Jammu and Kashmir Assembly witnessed only seven legislators from the community but the political scenario will be different as two seats have been reserved by the Centre for the Kashmiri Hindus in future whenever the Legislative Assembly will be formed.
Since independence till August 5, 2019, only seven Kashmiri Hindus have become MLAs by winning the assembly elections in the Valley and previously there was not a single Kashmiri Hindu MLA in the constituent Assembly.
“There was not a single Kashmiri Hindu MLA in the assembly formed in 2009 and 2014 and this will never happen in future, because whenever the assembly is formed, two Kashmiri Hindus will get an opportunity to represent their community,” said a leader of Kashmiri Pandit organisation.
They revealed that the Lieutenant Governor will have the powers to nominate two eligible candidates from the Kashmiri Hindu community including a woman.
“Giving representation to Kashmiri Hindus on the basis of nomination or reserving some seats for them– is a matter of debate. The way the assembly constituencies are divided in Kashmir, it is impossible for any Kashmiri Hindu or any other minority to win the election,” said a Kashmiri Hindu leader.
He said that the candidate will be able to win the elections only when 100 percent voters from the community and voters belonging to other parties and communities also vote in good numbers in the respective constituency.
“When assembly elections were held in 1975 and thereafter, only two Kashmiri Hindus became MLAs. One of them was P L Handu and the other was Raman Mattoo,” he said.
Mattoo won the elections in the year 2002 and had the support of other parties.
Not a single Kashmiri Hindu won in the elections of 2009 and 2014. The one who contested the elections got his security deposit seized.
A political activist said that till now only seven Kashmiri Hindus have become MLAs.
PDP, Congress, BJP and National Conference have nominated S N Fotedar, Khem Lata Wakhloo, Bhushan Lal Bhat, Vijay Bakaya, Girdhari Lal Raina, Surinder Ambardar and two other Kashmiri Hindus to the Legislative Council.
“Now the Legislative Council has dissolved and in such a situation, it is right to provide representation to Kashmiri Hindus through nomination,” he added.
“With two representatives in the Assembly, the issues for which the community was battling like their social security, political-socio-economic interests can be discussed and be brought to the right quarters once they will have a permanent representation in the legislature,” he added.
The Lok Sabha has passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to nominate two members from the Kashmiri migrant community and one representing the displaced persons from PoK to the legislative assembly.