In a pivotal gathering of the Kashmiri Pandit community at Invitation Banquet Hall, Jammu, a consensus was reached regarding their stance on the upcoming elections in Jammu and Kashmir. With the weight of historical injustices and the persistent denial of their genocide and displacement looming large, the community has collectively decided to “abstain from participating”in the electoral process.
The event, attended by a significant number of Kashmiri Pandits, focused on the ethical and political dilemma of participating in an election that continues to disregard the community’s demand for recognition of their genocide and the resultant forced exodus from their homeland. The speakers at the event voiced the deep-rooted concerns of the community, emphasizing that participating in the electoral process would only serve to legitimize the denial of their genocide, further erasing their history, suffering, and identity.The programme was conducted by Sh Pyare Lal Raina
Pyare Lal Kaul Budgami was the first to take the stage, making an impassioned plea for the community to “withhold participation” in the elections. “The electoral process in its current form,” he said, “is nothing but a façade of democracy, designed to project an illusion of normalcy in a region that has never addressed the grave injustices committed against us. Until our genocide is officially acknowledged and our rightful place in history restored, we cannot, in good conscience, take part in an election that seeks to erase our very existence.” His words resonated deeply with the audience, framing the electoral process as an instrument of erasure rather than representation.
Following this, Raj Nath Raina focused on the technical manipulation of the Kashmiri Pandit vote, drawing attention to the way the community’s electoral voice has been used for political leverage without addressing their core issues. “We have become political fodder,” he said. “Our votes are collected, transferred, and utilized in a way that serves only the interests of those who seek to manipulate the narrative. Our displacement has rendered us a captive vote bank, with no real representation or agency. Engaging in these elections will not amplify our voices; it will instead further silence them. We are being asked to participate in a process where our concerns—our genocide, our exile—are non-issues. This is not democracy, it is exploitation.”
Bhushan Lal Bhat then took the podium to stress the incompatibility of genocide and democracy. “Genocide and democracy are inherently contradictory,” he declared. “A political system that has failed to acknowledge the ethnic cleansing of its own people cannot be a true democracy. Our genocide is not just a crime of the past; it is a living reality that continues to define our present. To engage in this electoral process is to concede that our suffering is no longer relevant, that we have moved on, when in fact, nothing has changed. By participating, we give legitimacy to a system that has done nothing to heal the wounds inflicted upon us. Until the truth of our genocide is recognized, democracy remains out of reach for us.”
Bhat’s sentiment reflected a growing frustration among the community, which has seen little progress in gaining justice for the crimes committed against them. His message was clear: engagement in the electoral process without addressing the genocide would perpetuate the denial of justice.
The discourse then shifted to Tito Ganju, who articulated the dangers of allowing the community’s vote to be used as a tool for political convenience. “For decades now,” Ganju noted, “we have been a community in exile, watching as successive governments and political parties utilize our exodus and our suffering as talking points during elections. Yet, when it comes to addressing our demands for justice—recognizing our genocide, facilitating our return to our homeland with dignity, and restoring our rights—we are met with silence. By participating in these elections, we would be helping the same system that continues to deny us. This election is not about us, and we must be firm in our resolve not to lend our credibility to a process that seeks to silence us.”
He emphasized that “abstaining from elections” would send a clear message to the political establishment—that Kashmiri Pandits will not be used as mere pawns in a larger political game that ignores their legitimate grievances.
The meeting culminated with a powerful address by Dr. Ajay Chrungoo, Chairman of Panun Kashmir, who issued a stark warning about the broader implications of electoral participation under the current circumstances. “What we are witnessing is the consolidation of our genocide through the political process,” Dr. Chrungoo declared. “By holding these elections without first addressing the genocide and forced displacement of Kashmiri Hindus, the system is attempting to finalize our erasure. Participation in these elections would signal to the world that our struggle is over, that we have accepted our fate as a displaced and forgotten people. It would allow the system to move forward, leaving us behind as a mere footnote in history. We cannot allow that to happen.”
Dr. Chrungoo emphasized that this is not merely a political decision but an existential one. He argued that for Kashmiri Pandits to take part in elections without justice being served for their genocide would be to accept the erasure of their identity. “The current electoral process is not about our inclusion in the democratic fabric; it is about solidifying our exclusion. If we participate, we would be complicit in our own marginalization.”
The gathering concluded with a firm resolve: “the Kashmiri Pandit community will refrain from participating in the upcoming elections”. The community unanimously decided that they cannot, in good conscience, lend their voices to a process that continues to ignore their fundamental demands for justice and recognition. The speakers urged all Kashmiri Pandits to unite in this stance, calling for a “non-engagement” in the elections until their genocide is formally recognized and meaningful steps are taken towards their rehabilitation and return to their homeland.
This meeting marks a critical moment in the ongoing struggle of the Kashmiri Pandit community. The decision to refrain from electoral participation is not a rejection of democracy but a call for justice and truth. Until the Indian state acknowledges the genocide and displacement of Kashmiri Pandits, their exclusion from the democratic process will remain an enduring symbol of the unfinished business of justice.
