Farid Ullah Khan
Delimitation of constituencies by BJP-led government in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) is giving more assembly seats to minority Hindu populace over Muslim majority populace. It has not only hurt the sentiments of people of Kashmir on both sides of the border but also united the political leadership of IIOJK to resist this unlawful Indian move.
Delimitation in IIOJK has been on the BJP’s manifesto since 1995, when the last such exercise was done in the state. Now, the delimitation commission established by the Modi government in its “Draft proposal” submitted in Dec, 2021 had proposed six extra assembly seats for the Jammu district and just a single additional seat for Kashmir.
All political forces of IIOJK including ‘Apni Party’ which was earlier labeled by Peoples’ Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) as B group of BJP has also rejected the proposals of delimitation commission calling them unacceptable to the people of Kashmir as they are unfair and unjustifiable. The proposal was considered as an “attack on political incomparability of Kashmir in J&K’s legislative issues and “part of the series of measures began by BJP-led government from fifth August 2019 to undermine Kashmiris of IIOJK”.
In leading democracies, gerrymandering alludes to political control of electoral district boundaries with the aim of providing unnecessary benefit for a party, group, or socio-economic class inside the constituency. Two principal tactics are utilized in gerrymandering: “cracking” and “packing”. The Commission has proposed redrawing of five out of eight assembly segments of the capital Srinagar. Under the new suggestions, the HabbaKadal assembly segment, which had a sizable number of Kashmiri Pandit voters, has been parted into three seats. Wide-scale consolidation and formation of new constituencies in North Kashmir and Central Kashmir’s Budgam has been proposed.
The Kunzer region is probably going to be another assembly segment, while Sangrama will be merged into different electorates in North Kashmir. Rajouri and Poonch areas, which have a huge populace of Hindus, will be a part of South Kashmir’s Anantnag parliamentary body electorate, which previously had overwhelmingly Muslim majority. The plan would raise the number of assembly seats in Jammu to 43 from existing 37 and to 47 in Kashmir from 46.
As per the census of 2011, Kathua has 87.61 percent Hindu populace, Samba and Udhampur have 86.33% and 88.12% of Hindu populace in Kishtwar, Doda and Rajouri. Figures available from the 1995 delimitation show that Kashmir in spite of having 56.15% of the populace had just 55.42% share in the assembly, while Jammu having 43.84% of the populace, got the representation of 44.57% in the assembly.
Omar Abdullah said, “The draft proposal of the J&K delimitation commission is unacceptable. The distribution of recently created assembly constituencies with 6 going to Jammu and simply 1 to Kashmir isn’t legitimized by data of the 2011 census”. Mehbooba Mufti said “the real game plan is to introduce an administration in J&K which will legitimize the unlawful and illegal acts of August 2019.
Sajad Ghani Lone said the proposal “smells of a predisposition” and is a “shock to the individuals who have faith in majority rule democratic government in Kashmir”. The Gupkar alliance has likewise dismissed the proposal of the delimitation commission on the line of their past two announcements with regards to Indian unlawful activity of eliminating the status of statehood.
The BJP-led government of India is using extensive military might against the unarmed brave nation in the valley who are struggling for their right of self determination in the light of UN declarations. Many international human rights organizations, UN bodies and international community although are raising voices against human rights violations at the hands of Indian forces in IIOJK but even then, the Indian rulers are adamant and continue to suppress the voices of Kashmiri people which is clear violations of UN declarations and international laws.
The issue of Kashmir has serious implications for the regional and international peace and security. The cruelties of Indian PM Narendra Modi did not stop despite of prolonged imposition of curfew-cum lockdown in IIOJK since 5 Aug, 2019 and now has gone beyond the heights of brutalities by bringing delimitations in IIOJK to lower assembly seats of Muslim majority and raise assembly seats of Hindus who are in minority.
This blatant move on part of Indian government is a clear attack on the democratic rights of people of IIOJK especially Muslims; exposing the real face of India in front of regional and international powers. Pakistan will also continue to support Kashmir brethren morally, politically and diplomatically at all regional and international forums for their just cause. Secondly, the resilient and brave nation of the valley, particularly the youth won’t acknowledge any such step of the self presumed champion of democracy and so-called secular state putting together totally on the basis malafide expectations.
