Srinagar, June 05: Arun Kumar Raina, a Kashmiri migrant who contested the Parliamentary Elections from Baramulla Parliament Constituency, garnered more than 2,200 votes without campaigning or holding any mega rally.
In an interview with Rising Kashmir, Raina said that over the past two months, he refrained from holding rallies or engaging in extensive campaigning in Kashmir. Instead, he relied on the support of his friends and colleagues, securing 2241 votes.
“I had a desire to contest DDC elections but due to unknown reasons they were not held in J&K. However when the dates for Lok Sabha elections were announced, I was jubilant to represent my community inside the parliament as they (Kashmiri Pandits) have faced many difficulties during the past 35 years,” he said
Raina initially submitted his form in Srinagar PC but later withdrew it due to mistakes in documents and submitted it again in Baramulla, recognising the significant number of KP voters in the latter constituency.
He affirmed his commitment to Jagti township of Jammu where hundreds of KP families are living and vowed to continue working for the rehabilitation of his community, citing the lack of substantial progress in this regard.
Born in Pulwama district of south Kashmir and presently residing in the Talab Tiloo area of Jammu, Raina said he has no political family background and emphasised his dedication to serving his community.
In 1991, his family migrated from Kashmir and then stayed in Jammu. After completing his basic school education, Raina worked in Mumbai. He started visiting the Kashmir Valley in 2015.
Raina highlighted the dire conditions faced by Kashmiri Pandits in various camps, including Jagti, Muthi, Purkhoo and Mishriwala, stressing the urgent need for adequate transportation, electricity, medical facilities, and other essential amenities.
About his electoral debut, Raina expressed gratitude to those who supported him and voiced his aspiration to witness the return of KPs to Kashmir.
He applauded the improved arrangements for Kashmir Pandits during the elections and urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to establish more polling centres for KPs in different parts of the country, such as Pune, Jaipur, and others, to facilitate their voting process.
In the Baramulla seat, jailed leader Abdul Rashid Sheikh, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, won against the National Conference leader Omar Abdullah and PC President Sajad Gani Lone.
This was the first election of Jammu and Kashmir as a UT since it was a part of the State of Jammu and Kashmir until 2019, when the special status of the State was revoked and it was divided into two Union Territories (Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh) under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.
The general elections were also the first major poll since the elected State Assembly was dissolved; the special status of the province abrogated by the BJP-led Union government; the Valley was subjected to months of Internet shutdowns.
The region recorded the highest voter turnout in the last 35 years, according to the Election Commission. The Union Territory voted in the six phases of the Lok Sabha election.
