Migrant pandits voted for end of terror

Lok Nath was the first to vote for the end of terror in Kashmir valley, ignoring boycott call of militants.

Holding a bamboo stick to support himself in beeline of voters miles away from his home in Wandhama hamlet in Srinagar district, 64-year old massacre survivor, Lok Nath was the first to vote yesterday for the end of terror in Kashmir valley, at the Purkhoo migrant camp, ignoring boycott call of militants.

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Struck by the massacre of his six-member family among 26 Kashmiri pandits in non-descript Wandhama hamlet on January 26, 1997, former revenue officer Nath told PTI, " I voted in 1996 Lok Sabha polls first in my village Wandhama in Kashmir despite poll boycott call of separatists for restoration of democracy and peace besides end of terror era in Kashmir valley."

"Despite my bad health, I continued to vote in 1996, 2004 Assembly polls and 1998 and 1999 for peace and end of terror after losing my entire family to terrorism in 1997, Nath said.

Like him, Rani who lost a husband and a daughter in Sangrampura (Budgam) massacre of 11 Kashmiri pandits said,"vote is my weapon to take revenge on militants and separatists.I cannot take a gun and kill militants. Instead, I voted on Tuesday for peace and end of terror to satisfy myself by voting against poll boycott call."

Like them, over 34 percent of Kashmiri pandits had cast their votes ignoring the poll boycott call not only in the Purkhoo camp but also in the rest of 5 migrant camps including Mishriwala, Muthi, Nagrota, Battal Balliain and Garhi in Jammu and Udhampur Districts on Tuesday.

Even as pandit migrant voters, who had queued up in front of camp polling station, were eager to vote, hundreds of them returned back disappointed due to faulty voting lists and M-forms.

"Nearly 15000 to 20000 voters of KPS re non-existent in voter lists this time in Jammu," BSP candidate, Dr B L Raina and an independent candidate, K K Khosa said.

Of these pandit voters, 55,533 of them alone are in Srinagar district followed by 3494 KP voters in Budgam district of Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency, they said.

The Habbakadal assembly constituency which sent state minister, Raman Mattoo to represent the state assembly in October 2002 polls, has highest number of 23,233 kashmiri pandit voters followed by 11,213 kashmiri pandit voters in Amirakadal constituency of Srinagar city.

There are 7848 kashmiri pandit voters in Batamaloo constituency, followed by 5057 in Hazratbal, 2690 in Khanayar, 2119 in Sonawar, 1262 in Idgayh, 926 in Ganderbal, 727 in Kang an and 458 in Zadibal assembly constituency in Srinagar district.

Similarly, in Budgam district, there are total of 3494 kashmiri pandit voters, officials said adding that of these, the highest of 1044 are in Budgam constituency, followed by 855 in Chadoora, 702 in Charar-I-Sharief, 467 in Khansahib and 426 in Beerwah constituency.

Here should be re-polling at the polling stations in migrant camps after correcting the faulty voters lists and putting an end to cumbersome m-form process, Raina and Khosa said adding present polling is not doing justice to kashmiri pandits.

"I have voted in 2004 assembly elections, besides, 1999 and 1998 Lok Sabha polls. But this time my name was not in the voters list. My father, who died in 1996, is a voter in 2004 election voter list," Satesh Koul of Nagrota camp said.

This has been done deliberately by the PDP-Congress government to keep away maximum of 60 thousand KP vote bank in Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency, general secretary, All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC), H L Chatta alleged.

As many as 59027 kashmiri pandit voters are there in Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency, which has a total electorae of 1053733, top election officials of J-K said.