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| Homeland for Kashmiri Pandits may not be feasible asserts ML Kak in his new book | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, July 16: Is the demand for a separate homeland for the displaced people within the Kashmir valley possible ? The answer to this question has been dished out by vetern Journalist, M.L. Kak, in his latest book "Away from Homeland", which has hit the stalls in north India. The book has been published by Utpal publications and is available in Gulshan Book House Residency Road Srinagar, Raina News Agency, Residency Road, Jammu, Radha Krishan Anand and Sons Jammu city.
Kak does not believe that homeland for the displaced people within Kashmir can be feasible as the demand has found no support from either the central Government or the state authorities or from the majority of people in the Kashmir valley. The author asserts that if the Jews could establish a homeland they could do so because their population was, 70 years ago, about 60 to 80 lakhs. Against this one cannot have a homeland for a few lakh Kashmiri Pandits when a small percentage of the displaced families are keen to return to Kashmir.
"Away from homeland" is a book that contains author's personal experience with certain events and his observation on the plight of displaced people, their aspirations and their dreams. The book does not concentrate on any particular issue or topic. The author's mind roams from his bird feeding to homeland demand of displaced people, from the pains the displaced people feel because of scattering and segregation, from the pains of exodus to the possibility of settlement of the Kashmir issue. While talking about scattering and segregation of families of displaced people the author cites the instance of some of his relations about whose whereabouts the author has no knowledge.
The author is pessimistic about the implementation of the homeland demand because it may not be feasible in the eyes of the State and the Central Governments. Living in a homeland will be like living in a ghetto which is not acceptable to many among the displaced people, apart from Kashmiri Muslims, many among them favour rebirth of the traditional ties between the Pandits and the Valley based Muslims. What disturbs the author is the adverse impact of segregation and scattering of displaced families. The displaced people have moved from joint family system to the nuclear families where brothers have separated from sisters and the vice versa. It takes weeks together to know about the demise of close relations. The author has given the views of those supporting the homeland demand and of those opposing it.
The author is not optimistic about immediate settlement of the Kashmir issue because of the divergent, contradictory and inflexible stance being adopted both by New Delhi and Islamabad. The author says that the conflict on Kashmir could witness dilution if the two sides promote trade links and people to people contact.
Already voices have multiplied favouring settlement of the Kashmir issue through the process of dialogue but bilateral talks have proved fruitless. Hence talks need to be held on the need for freezing the Kashmir issue and if the two sides fail to reach a consensus let there be some minor border adjustment followed by simplifying the visa regime for promoting people to people contact. Once people to people contact and trade links are increased it may lead to confidence building between the two sides thereby reducing the level of mistrust and misgivings.
The author does not agree with those who claim that Muslims in Kashmir have not suffered severe losses owing to militancy related violence. The book reveals that Muslims have suffered bigger losses ,not only material but human losses, than the non-Muslims. |
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