Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 8: The Kashmiri Pandit Conference (KPC) has announced to boycott the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, citing ongoing injustices and unmet demands.
A statement said that this move reflects the community’s frustration over decades of displacement and Government neglect.
“Despite being exiled from their ancestral land for over 35 years, Kashmiri Pandits continue to face systemic disregard, with their plight often reduced to mere political tokens rather than addressed with genuine empathy and action,” read the statement.
Kundan Kashmiri, President of KPC, criticized the electoral process as a “facade” that perpetuates a false sense of normalcy while failing to address the deep-rooted issues faced by the Kashmiri Pandit community.
He stated, “Participation would only legitimize a system that has failed us and erased our identity. We refuse to be complicit in our own erasure.”
Kashmiri highlighted that Kashmiri Pandit votes have historically been exploited for political gain, leaving the community marginalized and voiceless.
“The KPC’s boycott is a protest against a political system that they believe disregards their suffering and continues to manipulate their votes without real representation or respect,” he said.
The KPC’s resolution demands include a one-place rehabilitation plan in Kashmir, acknowledgment of ethnic cleansing, grant of indigenous status, and restoration of rights for Kashmiri Pandits.
The community also seeks redress for displaced youths, relief holders, and PM package employees.
“Until these issues are addressed, the KPC and the displaced community will refrain from participating in elections they consider a ‘broken and exploitative political game’,” Kundan Kashmiri said.
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