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Voting Rights For Non-Kashmiris Endangers Migrant Workers, Say Parties


Voting rights for non-Kashmir migrant workers endangers migrant workers, say parties

It is unclear when Jammu and Kashmir will hold elections. (File)

Srinagar:

On Monday, political parties in the union territory said the announcement of the right to vote for non-locals in Jammu and Kashmir had made the lives of migrant workers and minorities difficult. risk.

An all-party meeting convened by Farooq Abdullah on the matter discussed the security consequences of the controversial move and expressed concern that there could be terrorist attacks against workers who are not employees. local people in Kashmir.

“We are concerned that there will be attacks on migrant workers after the end of the all-party meeting in Srinagar,” said Farooq Abdullah.

The meeting at Mr. Abdullah’s residence was attended by the National Assembly, the People’s Democratic Party, Shiv Sena, Janata Dal (United), the Left and other local parties in Kashmir.

Mr. Abdullah, a former Jammu and Kashmir minister, said: “They should have thought about that before making such a move. But they didn’t.”

Non-local Hindus, Kashmiri Pandits and migrant workers – both Muslims and Hindus – have fallen victim to targeted attacks over the past two years in Kashmir.

The attacks began after the coalition government abolished permanent residence certificates in Jammu and Kashmir and began granting residency status to non-locals working and living in the territory. of the union.

Before Articles 370 and 35A were repealed, only permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir were eligible to vote in council elections and enjoy special privileges in terms of employment and property rights. own land in the original state.

All of that changed after Jammu and Kashmir was converted into union territory and had its special constitutional status revoked on August 5, 2019.

Since then, locals have grown increasingly suspicious of the central government’s every move towards Jammu and Kashmir. Terrorist groups have tried to exploit fear and justify targeted attacks on innocent people.

For more than four years now, the old state has not had an elected government. But even if elections are held, there is little hope of change because in a union territory, as seen in Delhi, real power rests with the center’s representative, the Governor-General. Central Governor.

And it is not clear when the elections will be held in Jammu and Kashmir. So far, the polls have been delayed several times.

The process of redrawing assemblies has become controversial, and its authenticity has been questioned. There are allegations of fraudulent and brazen discrimination in the allocation of seats based on criteria only other than population.

The opposition alleges that the action was taken to turn a demographic majority into a political minority in order to help a political party. The BJP, which manages the center and controls Jammu and Kashmir, has denied the allegations.

Last week, the Elections Director of Jammu and Kashmir said that after clause 370 was repealed, non-locals who normally live in union territory could register as voters and eventually more than 20 Thousands of new voters will be added.

After a wave of outcry, the Jammu and Kashmir government tried to contain the outrage. In advertisements published in local newspapers, the government called it a distortion of the truth spread by “people with interests”.

But the opposition remains unconvinced and says the government is trying to attract voters to influence the election.



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