Historic Moment: Valmiki Community Votes in J-K Assembly Elections

The Valmiki community in Jammu and Kashmir exercised their voting rights for the first time in the Assembly elections, marking a historic moment after the abrogation of Article 370. Brought to J-K for sanitation work in 1957, they were long denied basic rights but now embrace new opportunities for education, employment, and political representation.

In a significant development, members of the Valmiki community in Jammu and Kashmir exercised their franchise for the first time in the Assembly elections on Tuesday. This event has been termed as a 'historic moment' by community members.

The Valmikis were brought from Punjab's Gurdaspur district to J-K in 1957 for sanitation work, but were denied basic rights including the right to vote. This changed with the abrogation of Article 370, granting them citizenship rights.

'This is a festival for our entire community,' said Gharu Bhati, a first-time voter at 45, who has been advocating for citizenship rights for over 15 years. Bhati emphasized the newfound opportunities in education, employment, and political representation that the community can now explore.

Standing in long queues, members like 19-year-old Komal expressed joy over the end of an era of injustice. Another member, 22-year-old Aikta Mathoo, stated his aspirations to become a judge, attributing credit to the central government's decision to abrogate Article 370.

The primary demand of the Valmiki community remains the improvement of their living conditions. They are optimistic that their newfound voting rights will enable advocacy for better housing, education, and employment opportunities.