Hope and anxiety in New Zealand
Venkat Raman
Auckland, September 17, 2024
The State of Jammu & Kashmir will go to polls tomorrow, September 18, 2024, amidst a volley of emotions and expectations. The electoral process, to be completed in three phases up to October 1, 2024, will signal the return of democracy.
Exercising their Franchise
More than nine million voters are expected to exercise their franchise to elect 90 representatives.
The previous assembly elections were held in November–December 2014. After the election, a coalition of the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) formed the state government with Mufti Mohammad Sayeed becoming the Chief Minister.
In June 2018, the BJP withdrew its support to the PDP-led government and Governor’s rule was subsequently imposed in Jammu and Kashmir.
In November 2018, the state assembly was dissolved by the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir.
Veer Khar speaks
Veer Khar, President of the Indian Association of Manukau, a Kashmiri Pandit, who fled the Valley following threats on his life (his house was seized by Muslim militants and later converted into a Madrasa) speaks about the Assembly Elections, simultaneously reminiscing the pre and post violent years.
“The only way forward for the return of Kashmiri Pandits is to carve out an area so that they can get their confidence back as detailed in Margdarshan 1991 as being pursued by Panun Kashmir” he said.
Please listen to and share the video and podcast with your colleagues, family, and friends. More importantly, please encourage your children to watch and learn the past.
