SRINAGAR: Vijay Chicken Koul, a Kashmiri pandit, has embarked on a mission to heal the wounds and build bridges with Muslims in Kashmir. And that is why he has chosen Sopore constituency, the hometown of Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Shah Geelani, to contest his maiden elections which he says is a "challenge worth accepting".
Nineteen years ago, Koul was forced to leave his home in Habba Kadal to lead a life of refugee in Jammu.
"I was not expecting such a good response from Kashmiri Muslims. When I had to produce sponsors at the time of filing my nominations, I was overwhelmed by the support I got: many Muslims came to support my candidature," says Koul.
There are grim memories of the past, but he wants to start a new innings. "I used to own an industrial unit but it suffered huge losses when I migrated. My house which was worth Rs10 lakh was sold for Rs1.5 lakh. I received threats in 1990 which prompted me to leave Kashmir and settle in Jammu," says Koul.
Koul is among the 15 candidates fielded by the National United Front (NUF), a political organisation floated by migrated pandits in the valley. Riding high on the Kashmiryat wave, the Kashmiri pandits are seeking support from Muslims to revive the age-old bonding.
"All 15 seats are from the Valley because we belong to that place and were emotionally attached to it. We hope we will win some seats because we seek votes on Kashmiryat coupled with development and prosperity," AK Diwani, president of the NUF, said.
What prompted Kashmiri pandits to jump into the fray was the political subjugation of the community by different parties. This time too the major political parties have ignored the community. The National Conference and the PDP have not so far given any ticket to any Kashmiri pandit.
