Vimal Sumbly
For a long time the Kashmiri Pandits have had no representation in the Jammu and Kashmir ministry. Successive parties have only successively overlooked the community’s existence. The last time the community had a member in the government was Raman Mattoo, not for any special favour, only because he derived a bargain as an independent MLA. With the state headed for an elected government after an impasse of few months and a new ministry being sworn in, the Pandits have a reason to expect their representation in the ministry. More so the Bhartiya Janata Party, the powerful and influential partner in the coalition, owes it to the community as an acknowledgement for its unambiguous, unflinching and unfailing support to the party. And the community has continuously and entirely supported the party deservingly and undeservingly and for all the right and the wrong reasons.
It is not only in the state where the overwhelming majority of the community has voted for the BJP, in the misplaced belief that the party is their only saviour, at the national level the community members have been unequivocal supporters of the party and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the extent that they even attribute the work done by the Congress governments of PV Narsimha Rao and Dr Manmohan Singh to the BJP governments only. History is proof that the basis of the settlement of displaced Pandits was laid down during Rao’s time and it was during Dr Singh’s time that the Jagti Satellite township was set up and employment packages were provided to the displaced Pandits. Not that the BJP did not do anything for the displaced Pandits besides raising their voice, but in comparison the Congress governments have certainly done a lot more for them, which they attribute to the BJP governments only. Such is their infatuation and fascination for the party among the Kashmiri Pandits.
The community really does not have huge numbers to force a compulsion and political bargain, but it certainly has a widespread presence across the Jammu city and has influence in quite a few assembly segments. Their vote can and has swung the results in favour of the BJP in last two successive assembly elections in 2009 and 2015. It is high time that the party does not take their vote and support for granted lest they start looking at other options. And the party stands a test now in choosing the team of ministers. Accommodating a Kashmiri Pandit in the ministry will really not mean much to the party, but it will certainly mean a lot to the community as it will help it gain the much deserved recognition of existence in the government.
The community numbers in the state are dwindling at an alarming pace. An overwhelming majority of the youth has moved out for the jobs. Except for the special package jobs provided during the Congress led UPA regime at the centre, the presence of the community members in the state services is not even nominal, but just negligible. The process of ethnic cleansing that started in 1980s in Kashmir has not stopped as yet. It is continuing in a subtle manner as the job avenues have virtually been shut on the community’s youth.
The nomination of a community member in the ministry will help in restoring the faith in the system. Otherwise, the Pandits have genuinely been believing that the entire system is conniving and conspiring against their existence in the state and the BJP is becoming a willing or unwilling partner in it. Now is the time for the party to reciprocate and acknowledge the support it has been getting from the community members. Now is the time to restore the faith of the Kashmiri Pandit community in the system. Now is the time not to belie their expectations. Otherwise, for them, it will hardly make any difference as who rules and who governs as long as nothing changes for them. When everybody talks about involving Kashmiris in the political process, it must also mean involving and including the Kashmiri Pandits as well. For they have been unfailing and uncompromising when it comes to serving the national interest, the BJP claims to be the watchdog of. Besides, Pandits hold key to the demographic balance in Jammu which is fast getting disturbed. It is important to restore their faith and confidence in the system. Not that on odd minister from the community will do any wonders, it will at least give them a sense of hope and confidence that they are being cared about and they are being thought about and their camps are not just showpieces for the party to prove its point.
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