Kashmir Elections Spotlight: Candidates Struggle with Broken Kashmiri, Stirring Voter Concerns

In Kashmir, this election has witnessed a flurry of innovative slogans in native language and cultural symbolism. However, what has generated more interest, and even ridicule, is the use of Kashmiri language by prominent candidates like Omar Abdullah and Iltija Mufti, who are not its fluent speakers.

In Kashmir, this election has witnessed a flurry of innovative slogans in native language and cultural symbolism. However, what has generated more interest, and even ridicule, is the use of Kashmiri language by prominent candidates like Omar Abdullah and Iltija Mufti, who are not its fluent speakers.

Besides politics, Abdullah and Mufti have one more thing in common – they speak broken Kashmiri as they have been educated outside the state and are not fluent native speakers. (Many families in Kashmir, particularly from elite sections, prefer their children to speak in English or Urdu instead of native language).

Recently Iltija Mufti, daughter of Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti, became viral for her ‘Zoon ho Zoon ho, PDPean Zoon Ho’ slogans while campaigning in south Kashmir as she wrongly used the word ‘zoon’ (moon) instead of ‘zyeun or zyoon’ (winning) and invited her ridicule of netizens and political opponents.

What she meant was that PDP was winning. Her use of the word ‘zoon (moon)’ for ‘zyeun (winning)’ even triggered memes where an ‘animated moon’ was asking the politicians to ‘leave her alone’.

Iltija immediately realised her mistake and, instead of becoming defensive, improvised and corrected the mistake in her future campaigning for the party’s candidates in central Kashmir for the second phase.

“A week ago, when I yelled ‘Zoon ho’ in Bijbehara I had no clue it would become this viral. For the initiated, zyeun is victory in Kashmiri while as zoon means the moon. I’m glad the slogan charged up PDP workers who insist I yell it at least a dozen times while campaigning. I am sick of it though,” Iltija, who is fighting the election from Bijbehara, said.

Mufti shouts the slogans ‘zyeun ho zyeun ho’ (we are winning, we are winning) rhythmically with high pitch and energy triggering the common PDP workers to respond with ‘PDPean zyeun ho’ (PDP is winning).

The slogans became a sort of war cry for the PDP during the campaigning by Mufti, who has now increasingly started to use headscarf during the campaign in rural areas, while the social media was all abuzz with the slogans. “Whether I say ‘zoon’ or ‘zyeun’, the victory is ours,” she shouted to her supporters who answered in unison. She is now continuing her campaigning trail in north Kashmir for the third phase on October 1.

As the second phase of elections ended on September 25, even National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah couldn’t help but use the slogan for his party. “Zyoon ho; Zyoon ho; Albain (NC symbol) Zyoon ho,” he wrote on X.

Mufti ridiculed Abdullah for stealing her slogan. “They are using our manifesto and now our slogans… They are copying and are not original,” she said but insisted that she was now tired of raising the slogans. However, NC supporters were quick to point out that the slogan has been part of JKNC election campaign for decades”.

Earlier this month, NC leader and former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah also triggered a lot of emotions, and even ire, when he symbolically removed his Kashmiri embroidered round cap and asked people ‘with folded hands’ to ‘give him one chance’ in Ganderbal.

“Please protect my honour, my ‘toop’ (actual word should have been ‘toep’). Give me one chance. With folded hands I am seeking one chance from Ganderbal,” he said.

While many NC supporters became emotional and overwhelmed over Abdullah’s gesture, his opponents took jibe at his use of the word ‘toop’ (meaning ointment) instead of ‘toep’ (cap).

People’s Conference president Sajad Lone lambasted Omar Abdullah for ‘demolishing’ Kashmiri language. “This is ‘toep, not ‘toop’. The day he says ‘toep’, I will consider him a Kashmiri,” Lone said.

However, he did acknowledge the humbleness in the gesture. “It is his sweet wish whatever he wants to do, however, I just want all of us to be as humble after the vote,” he said.

In fact, Lone, while campaigning in north Kashmir for the third phase, has also started using a Kashmiri slogan centred around ‘apple’ which is a mainstay of the economy for many in the valley. “Ambur Ambur (which is a variety of apple and is generally used for every apple in north Kashmir),” he shouts as people respond “Kashur Ambur”.

However, Kashmiri language experts are not convinced of the leaders’ campaigns with their ‘ad-kaej’ (broken) language.

“They don’t speak Kashmiri language, although they claim themselves to be leaders of Kashmir. This time it is because of their self-interest that they are using the language. They know Kashmiri psychology and are taking advantage of the naivety, emotions and non-seriousness of the common masses,” said Zarief Ahmad Zarief, a veteran poet and satirist, who writes in Kashmiri language. Source