By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Srinagar: As the conventional religious demography of country changes on the border of Jammu and Kashmir so dose BJP’s ideals. The party which aggressively led the election campaigns in the mainland against ‘minority vote bank’ politics practiced the same when it came to Kashmir elections and got rich dividends.
Within the J&K, the religious demography changes within its region. Out of total population of the state, 67% are Muslims in J&K, but in the valley itself 97% of the people are Muslims, while in Jammu region, 65% are Hindus, 31% Muslims and 4% Sikh populations. Ladakh region, on the other hand, has 47% is Muslim and 46% Buddhists.
BJP party workers celebrate after Jammu & Kashmir results at Polytechnic college in Jammu on Tuesday. (File photo) (Courtesy: FinancialExpress.com)
All the 25 seats that BJP has won in J&K to emerge as second largest party in the state is from Hindu dominated Jammu region alone. Out of the 37 seats in Jammu BJP bagged 25 seats.
“Hindu vote got consolidated with BJP due to its ideological and poll planks, while Muslims vote got fractured and divided between different regional parties resulting in BJP’s victories,” said Khurram Parvez, program coordinator of Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society.
Mr. Parvez, a strong proponent of Kashmiri “self-determination movement” said this assembly election has exposed the fault lines of the state, “In reality it exposed BJP’s vote bank politics, it has shown the creation of Hindu vote bank.”
.
Chenab Valley of Jammu which comprises of Doda, Ramban and Kishtawar districts with mixed Hindu Muslim population saw huge communal polarization in voting pattern.
Doda district with 60% Muslim and 40% Hindu population has two constituencies Banderwah and Doda town.
In Muslim dominated Banderwah BJP’s Daleep Singh won the seat getting 25,953 votes. Shaif Niaz of Congress was 2nd with 24,457 votes while Mehboob Iqbal of PDP was 3rd with 16,673 votes. There were host of other Muslim candidates who took away good chunk of votes. While Hindu votes were polarized with BJP and remained intact.
Similarly in Doda town Shakti Raj of BJP won the seat with 24,572 votes while Abdul Majid Wani of Congress was 2nd with 20,532 votes and Khalid Majid of NC was 3rd with 16,416 votes.
In Muslim dominated Kishtawar town constituency Sunil Kumar Sharma of BJP won the seat getting 28,054 votes, while Sajjad Ahmed of NC was 2nd with 25,202 votes and Firdous Ahmed of PDP is 3rd with 6,432 votes. Kishtawar town in 2013 witnessed a bloody communal riot which did impact the imprint of results.
Udhampur district was completely painted in saffron with its three constituencies going to BJP candidates with massive vote margins. Udhampaur had 25% Muslim population but it could not get translated into any force with huge Hindu polarization behind BJP.
Mr. Mushtaq ul Haq Ahmed Sikander, a peace activist from Kashmir and associate editor of The Intellectual, said that BJP for its narrow political gains has stroked dangerous monster in the region, “Intra regional polarization combined with communal poison is highly dangerous for Kashmir in the long run.”
Zameer Ahmed Bhatt, a research scholar from Kashmir, said he didn’t find anything surprising with BJP’s Hindu polarization, “They did what they are doing across India”. He reminded that BJP first gain ground in the state over a communal issue, Amarnath shrine board land dispute, “In the run up to election they even communalized a constitutional matter such as Article 370.”
The already existing cracks in J&K society, Zameer said are more widened with this election and now there are fears that ordinary residents will face the burn. “Students from Kashmir University or Jammu University studying in intra regions, or business men doing intra region business will find it difficult to ease in the growing tension and regional conflict this election has created.”
Local commentators are apprehensive that the BJP sharing power in Srinagar will make the scenario worse.
Mr. Mushtaq Ahmed Sikander believes that the scenario of PDP-BJP joining hands to form a Government will be problematic for Kashmiris on the ground, “Kashmiris will feel betrayed”, he said. “Large turnout of voters in the valley was to keep BJP out of the power, despite that if any regional party shakes hand with BJP, it will be seen as betrayal.”
Mr. Khurram Parvez said it will be suicidal for any regional party including PDP to form an alliance with BJP, “Any party going ahead with BJP, there will be no ‘Acche Din’ (good days) ahead for them in regional politics.”