By Manav, NAK,
Jammu : Thousands of the Kashmiri Pandit (KP) voters living across the country are in a fix over the government’s recent decision to make “M” compulsory for their voting rights in the upcoming assembly elections in the Jammu and Kashmir.
Having surprised on the controversial decision taken by the authorities, when the stage is all set for the elections, KP’s are smelling rat in the entire issue apprehending a well planned strategy to cut the size of migrant voters in the entire country.
It is pertinent to mention here that authorities through a notification have set a condition of obtaining “M form” mandatory for all the migrant voters of Kashmir living elsewhere in the country, if they want to exercise their franchise in the upcoming assembly polls in the state.
The decision has led to a wide-spread resentment among the Kashmiri Pandit community as the process of obtaining an “M-form” is an “uphill task” given the formalities and procedure attached with it.
The Community is now looking at the Election Commission of India as the last hope that can ensure their participation in the democratic process of voting, the only thing which they have after their migration from the valley.
“Going for an “M-form” at this time when only a few days have been left for the elections is a ridiculous decision. If a migrant wants to vote this time he has to obtain the form from Relief Commissioner’s office, one attestation from the Zonal Migration Officer, the other from a Gazetted officer besides submission of photocopies of Ration Cards, they were holding” said one Avtar Krishen Rainal, a KP migrant living in the Muthi Camp while talking to News Agency of Kashmir (NAK).
A retired government servant of 68, Raina is worried about his two sons working in Noida on thought that whether they will be able to vote this time or not.
Similar is the case of Janki Nath Koul who is putting up at migrant camp Nagrota and working in a private company in Jammu.
Koul has no time to visit the government offices during the week days and anguished over the condition of “M-form” remarked “The only political connection between the Kashmiri Pandits and the valley is ballot. The bullet has forced us to leave our mother land two decades back and now government is determent to snap these ties of Kashmiri Pandits with Kashmir (which so far has been survived because of the ballot) by setting conditions not easily to be met”.
“You will not get the “M-form” without giving a Rs. 50/- note. The attestation process at two places will further cost Rs. 100/-“alleged another KP migrant Som Nath Pandita while referring to the large scale corruption prevailing in the entire system in a chat with the NAK. He further questioned that “what will be the credibility of Ration Cards on which migrants are getting the monthly relief”.
Meanwhile, acknowledging the condition of “M-form” as grave mistake by the concerned, one of the KP’s organization namely Dooru Migrant Co-ordination Committee has came forward urging upon the Election Commission of India to withdraw the controversial order.
In a statement Ajay Bharti president of the Committee has appealed the 3-member election commission to review the order and allow the KP voters to vote as they were doing in the past by producing their Ration cards.
T.K. Raina and Vinol General Secretary and Secretary of the Committee have feared that decision if not revoked will work against the community and will ultimately affects the share of KP votes in the valley.