Zoon to zyeun: How Iltija's PDP slogan has been adopted by NC

SRINAGAR: With political parties and workers unleashed after a long wait of 10 years, the Kashmir poll campaign struck a tone, harsh and partisan. But it also witnessed a tune so captivating that it acquired a universal appeal.

The reverberating chants of "zyeun ho zyeun ho, albain zyeun ho" from a hall of packed supporters of National Conference candidate Hilal Akbar Lone and the social media post of party mascot Omar Abdullah with his inked finger and same caption, could be called a tribute to arch-rival and PDP functionary Iltija Mufti - who coined and popularised the slogan. 'Albain' is the NC symbol 'plough'.

The "zoon ho zoon ho, PDP zoon ho" that the Mufti heir apparent has personally led the crowds to chant started off as an irritant for rivals, moved to becoming an object of derision for critics, but ended up being adopted by the rivals in the last stretch. Clearly, it was too catchy and inspiring to have remained copyrighted.

Iltija has claimed victory. "Imitation is the best form of flattery," she told TOI, as she reacted to the deluge of NC chants of her coinage by dubbing the rivals as "copycat monkeys". When the assembly contest started a couple of months ago, Iltija was out front firing up the workers with a slogan that, riding on its pithiness and rhythm, acquired a life of its own.

Aided by social media posts and WhatsApp forwards, it settled on the lips like nursery rhymes do with children.

It was amusing to find random passersby humming it on the streets of Kashmir for no rhyme or reason.

But delivered as a full-throated slogan, led by Iltija herself, it gave a disproportionate presence to a visibly shrinking PDP, widely viewed as fighting for its survival. "PDP has been splintered into pieces and we are at our weakest. Yet, our campaign is way more energetic, so much so that others are copying us," she said.

The crucial bit was that it stoked an unending parallel discussion on Kashmiri social media. After all, "zoon" is "moon", while "Zyeun" is "win".

Iltija, who grew up in Delhi and abroad, was mocked for her "feeble acquaintance" with the native language.

"They are mocking my Kashmiri," she chuckled, unaffected.

Poet Ayaz Nazki feels the mispronunciation by Iltija made it a convenient tool for NC to show her up, a reason why it has been taken up by the rival. "There is no other reason," he laughed.

And the Mufti girl improvised. Soon, the "zoo" became "zeu", as she tried to get the phonetics in place.

The chants only became louder and lustier at PDP rallies, where workers danced with energy and stomped the ground to welcome a party star or candidate.

The crowd that witnessed the reception of party candidate Syed Aga Muntazir and functionary Waheed Parra in Sholipura, Budgam, last week were visibly enchanted.

With PDP finding competition from NC even on the slogan it coined, the political fight has only got that bit more intense in the home stretch and people are waiting with bated breath for the results on an election long delayed and keenly fought. But Iltija has already delivered a "zyeun" that few can deny.