Jammu and Kashmir
Kashmiri Pandits (KPs) are sidelined by present dispensation of PDP-BJP coalition. KPs feel deprived and ignored by BJP to which they have campaigned across the country by using emotional card. Senior leaders and think tanks of KP community are of view that due to low vote count BJP has neglected the community by reiterating the statements used by Congress for the last ten years. They are of opinion that in the name of rehabilitation KP community is being befooled for the past twenty six years and with the government of BJP in Centre as well as in Jammu and Kashmir had developed hope for the community but all in-vain. They even did not hesitate in saying that BJP has resorted to anti KP approach just before forming the government.
R K Padesi an eminent KP leader of PDP is saving face from people and not even taking the phone calls because of betrayal meted upon him by PDP. He was enough confident that PDP is non communal party and he would get a chance to represent his ignored community, but with the developments in offing all is not going well for KPs, said and KP intellectual.
“With an able and seasoned campaigner like Mufti Mohammad Sayeed one can hope that things would improve in the coming days. The Chief Minister should take the lead and ensure that long pending demands (of the community) are fulfilled,” Susil Raina a KP statesman stated. He said PDP should take a cue from BJP which had nominated Charanjeet Singh Khalsa for the Legislative Council in the state. Raina hailed Khalsa’s victory saying that the PDP top brass should take measures ensuring due benefits to the KP community.
It is important to mention that PDP deployed two people from the community as donkeys are used in load shifting’s in difficult areas but now keeping them on bay makes them to think twice about joining PDP. Meanwhile, a dozen of KP leaders from PDP and BJP have decided to resign from their respective party folds in next week after taking a joint consultation on March 22.