What has removal of Article 370 achieved? Look who’s voting in J&K

“A caged bird has been set free,” said a voter in the Jammu and Kashmir elections to the Daily Excelsior. That was the sentiment that echoed with many others. It was also an answer to the question — what has abrogation of Article 370 done. For the first time, Hindu refugees from Pakistan, including West Pakistan Refugees (WPR), Valmikis and Gorkhas cast their votes in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election on Tuesday.
There are around 1.5 lakh people from these communities in J&K, and Tuesday was a day filled with emotions.
“Our community has had no voting rights for the last 70 years. The Valmiki community was kept away from the voting process,” the Hindu refugee from Pakistan, who was voting for the first time in Jammu and Kashmir, told the Daily Excelsior, a J&K-based newspaper.
Refugee leader Labha Ram Gandhi told news agency PTI that he and his community were grateful to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Home Minister Amit Shah for revoking Article 370, which enabled them to become citizens and voters of Jammu and Kashmir.
A man even cast his first vote at the age of 50 in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections which were in its final phase on Tuesday.
The eligibility to vote was one among the list of rights that the abrogation of Article 370 provided. Among the other rights is the right to own land.
Ahead of the voting day, West Pakistan refugees celebrated by sharing sweets in Chakra and Chabay Chak in Samba and Jammu districts.
“I am very happy… I am 50 but I am casting vote for the first time. Things are changing now,” a voter told the Daily Excelsior.
The West Pakistan Refugees, Valmikis and Gorkha communities who have lived as “unwanted citizens” for over seven decades now are able to vote. They have always lacked political representation.
They comprise 1.5 lakh people and live in the areas of Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts, especially around the border areas.
The members of the three communities: the WPRs, the Valmikis and the Gorkhas will now elect MLAs. It is the beginning of a new era, people said.
“After residing in Jammu and Kashmir for the past 75 years as unwanted citizens, we are finally participating in the Assembly elections for the first time in history. It is a dream come true for us,” said Labha Ram Gandhi, president of the West Pakistan Refugees Action Committee, to PTI.
“We still can’t believe that we are now citizens and voters of J&K. It is a red-letter day for us,” Gandhi added.
The 63-year-old refugee leader who voted at Nundpur polling station in Samba.
“Credit goes to the prime minister and home minister for revoking Article 370, which enabled us to become citizens and voters of Jammu and Kashmir. We are grateful to them,” he added.
Around 5,764 families of West Pakistan Refugees, called WPRs, settled in various parts of Jammu in 1947.
Now, the number of West Pakistan refugees has increased to over 22,000 families, taking the total of two lakh people.
After the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A, the Hindu refugees have gained citizenship in J&K. They will also be able to vote, work, get an education and own land now on.
In July 2024, the Jammu and Kashmir administration decided to give proprietary rights to state land allocated to WPR after 1947.
The West Pakistan refugees have also planned to commemorate this momentous occasion in RS Puara, Gandhi told PTI.
In 1957, the Valmikis (Dalits) were brought to J&K in 1957 from Punjab’s Gurdaspur district for sanitation work by the state government. They, too, voted for the first time.
Around 12,000 members living in the Gandhi Nagar and Dogra Hall areas had been denied any voting rights, educational opportunities, job opportunities and land ownership due to the absence of a state subject certificate.
All thanks to abrogation of Article 370.
Now, they hope to ask for better amenities such as housing, education and employment opportunities.
“Now that we are citizens of J&K, we have voting rights and all other privileges enjoyed by the state’s regular citizens. Tuesday’s assembly elections mark a historic moment for us. We are delighted on this occasion,” said Gaurav Bhati, president of the Valmiki Samaj.
“Our community members will also start contesting elections now. We can now explore new job opportunities. This was long overdue,” he said.
This is an equally exciting opportunity for the Gorkha community. Their ancestors came from Nepal to Jammu and Kashmir decades ago to serve in the Dogra army.
Most families at least have at least one war veteran today.
“We express our gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji and Home Minister Amit Shah ji for transforming our fortunes here. Thanks to their bold decision to revoke Article 370, we are now citizens of J&K and have been granted all rights,” Karuna Chhetri, president of All J&K Gorkha Sabha told PTI.
“We will vote in the assembly elections for the first time. It’s a proud moment for us. We are delighted,” he added.
More than 2,000 Gorkha community members live here, where lanes are narrow and houses are next to each other.