1 october 2024 : In a historic moment, members of the Valmiki community, West Pakistani refugees, and Gorkhas in the Jammu region exercised their voting rights for the first time in the 2024 Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, a right they had long been denied. These communities, totaling over 150,000 people, participated across various districts, including Jammu, Samba, and Kathua, to elect their representatives.
West Pakistani refugees, primarily Hindus and Sikhs who fled Pakistan in 1947, previously could only vote in Lok Sabha elections. However, the revocation of Article 370 in 2019 allowed for increased participation in the democratic process. The Valmikis, originally brought to Jammu and Kashmir in 1957 for sanitation work, expressed enthusiasm about their newfound rights. Gharu Bhati, a first-time voter at age 45, remarked on the excitement within his community, calling the elections a festival.
The Valmiki community, alongside the West Pakistani refugees and Gorkhas, had previously participated in the District Development Council elections in 2020. With the changes following the abrogation of Article 370, these groups can now buy land, apply for jobs, and engage fully in the electoral process, paving the way for greater opportunities. Bhati expressed hope that community members, once relegated to menial jobs, could now aspire to positions like MLA or minister.
The Gorkha community, whose ancestors served in the former Dogra Army, also celebrated their right to vote in this election. Karuna Chhetri, president of the All J&K Gorkha Sabha, thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for their roles in granting these communities full citizenship rights following the revocation of Article 370.
