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As the polling dates for the maiden assembly polls after abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir draws near, several organisations of the Kashmiri Pandit community has decided to refrain from the electoral process in the Union Territory over 'persistent denial of their genocide'.
The decision to abstain from the polling was taken at Kashmiri pandit citizens meet held in Jammu in the light of the assembly elections scheduled to take place in three phases on September 18, 25 and October 1.
The event, attended by a significant number of Kashmiri Pandit leaders, 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.
"For decades now, we have been a community in exile, watching as successive governments and political parties utilise our exodus and our suffering as talking points during elections. Yet, when it comes to addressing our demands for justice -- recognising 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," eminent lawyer and constitutional expert Tito Ganju said.
He emphasised 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'.
Chairman of Panun Kashmir Ajay Chrungoo said by holding these elections without first addressing the genocide and forced displacement of Kashmiri Hindus, the system is attempting to finalise '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," he said.
Chrungoo emphasised that this is not merely a political decision but an existential one.
"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 marginalisation," he said.
Pyare Lal Kaul Budgami said the electoral process in its current form is nothing but a 'facade of democracy' designed to project an illusion of normalcy in a region that has never addressed the grave injustices committed against the community.
The meeting resolved that the community will refrain from participating in the upcoming elections until their genocide is formally recognised and meaningful steps are taken towards their rehabilitation and return to their homeland.
The decision to refrain from electoral participation is not a rejection of democracy but a call for 'justice and truth', secretary Panun Kashmir M K Dhar said.