Kashmiri Pandits…

are living as “refugees in our own country” for three decades but “nothing” is being done for their return and rehabilitation. 

The dark cold night of January 19, 1990, had countered the worst nightmares of Kashmiri Pandits living in the valley. Announcements from loudspeakers and crowded streets were a message for the Hindus living in Kashmir –  asking them to flee their homeland, convert or die.

#TheKashmirFiles

Relive, Tsaliv ya Galive (either convert to Islam, leave the land, or die)

And also Slogans flowed like:

“Zalimo, O Kafiro, Kashmir harmara chod do”.(O! Merciless, O! Kafirs leave our Kashmir)

“Kashmir mein agar rehna hai, Allah-ho-Akbar kahna hoga”(Anyone wanting to live in Kashmir will have to convert to Islam)

La Sharqia la gharbia, Islamia! Islamia! From East to West, there will be only Islam

“Musalmano jago, Kafiro bhago”, (O! Muslims, Arise, O! Kafirs, scoot)

Col Tej Kumar Tikoo in his book, Kashmir ‘Its Aborigines and Their Exodus’, wrote:

The night 19^th January moved like “As the night fell, the minor community became panic when the Valley began shouting with the bloody cries of Muslims. They had managed the whole event with no carelessness. Choosing its timing, Night in the month of January(too cold and too dark) and the slogans of highly communal and threatening. The announcements from the masjids incited the Muslims to come out on the streets. These urged the Muslims to give a final push to the Kafir in order to control the true Islamic order. Pandits were presented with three choices – Ralive, Tsaliv ya Galive (convert to Islam, leave the place, or perish). Tens of thousands of Kashmiri Muslims crowed into the streets of the Valley, shouting  ‘death to India’ and death to Kafirs.

By morning, it became obvious to Pandits that Kashmiri Muslims had decided to throw them out from the Valley. Pandits’ fault was that they were Hindus in the 90-percent Muslim Valley.

Driving out the Hindus from the Kashmir Valley was a key component of the Pakistani plan given in “Operation Topaz”. Indian policymakers knew it even before the onset of terrorist violence. But the situation was allowed to go out of control for petty political interests.

Now, after more than two decades, the Kashmiri Pandit has still not been able to return to their original land. New governments formed many times but scores of Kashmiri Pandits who were chased out of their homes have not changed.

Should they return home now?

Many scholars have recently started talking about returning of Kashmiri Pandits. In my opinion, they are talking nonsense.Its a sad reality but still many pseudo-secular don’t see the real reason behind these events. In India secularism is only dictated to Hindus. Currently, Kashmir is not ready to accept Kashmiri Pandits. So, they should not return to Kashmir. Here are the reasons:

• They were a minority — and will remain minor for a longer time

The peaceful minority of 3-4 % of the population of Kashmir, whose ancestors had lived in Kashmir for centuries. They were chased out of Kashmir and many were slaughtered. Is there any guarantee that they would not again be slaughtered if they return? In 1990, Muslims asked Kashmiri pandits to leave Kashmir or convert to Islam. Crowds would come before their houses, shouting that the men should get out of Kashmir, but the women would not be allowed to leave.

What can a minority do when they are being selectively targeted by the majority?

• Kashmiri Muslims do not actually feel sorry

Kashmiri Muslims say that they are sorry for what happened to Kashmiri Pandits; that Kashmiri Pandits are part of Kashmiri culture; Kashmir is incomplete without Kashmiri Pandits; they want them to come back. But they never admit it was Kashmiri Muslims who were responsible for the exodus and, instead, they shamelessly blame the-then Governor, Jagmohan.

• What will they even do?

Most of the leaders in Kashmir today, who demand ‘azadi’ for Kashmir, are apparently akin to Islamic fundamentalists. So, should the Pandits convert to Islam in order to come back or, should they come back and live as second-class citizens. Where will they live and what will they do in Kashmir? Their houses have mostly been destroyed or taken over by Muslims, their jobs and businesses lost.

Narendra Modi:

Is Anupam Kher Kashmiri Pandit? Answer is […]

• No roots in Kashmir

30 years has elapsed since the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits took place. Most of the present Kashmiri Pandit youth were either not born then, or were kids with no memories. So, rationally they have no roots in Kashmir. And the middle-aged have somehow adjusted to a new life in elsewhere.

What government should do to return Kashmiri Pandits :

• A comprehensive analysis of the circumstances that led to the ethnic cleansing of the entire Kashmiri Pandit from the valley.

  

• Constitute a Commission of Inquiry headed by a Judge of the Supreme Court to probe circumstances and fix responsibility of ethnic cleansing of the entire Kashmiri Pandit.
• Enforcement of the rule of law on the ground that ensures working of all the institutions of the modern state without fear and favour.
• Affirmative action on the part of the state to encourage and ensure meaningful participation in every activity of the modern life.
• Develop a Satellite City of Srinagar for the entire community. The City should be self-sufficient in terms of overall infrastructure, economic avenues, adequate land, decent accommodation, educational institutions, medical care, recreation centers, commercial infrastructures etc. etc.
• Politically Empowerment of the community by adequate reservations both in the assembly, the Parliament and local bodies.
• Initiate necessary steps to grant minority status to the displaced Kashmiri Pandit..
• Take urgent steps to protect and preserve the heritage of the community handed down in the shape of temples, shrines, worshiping places and pilgrimage sites etc.

Read More | Article 370 | Ladhakh | Article 35 A |

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