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| Now, KPs are tourists in Kashmir | | |
Jammu, June 9
They have started visiting their land of birth as tourists. They stay their between 10 days and two months to escape from the scorching heat in the plains. Mohan Lal and his wife spent several days in Srinagar recently. On their return they were excited over the way their friends,neighours and other acquaintances,whom they met after over 17 years,received them with love and warmth.”We found as if we were part of the social fabric,”said Mohan Lal.His wife,Laxmi,said that “we visited our ancestral house in Rainawari.It brought back the pictures of our childhood days playing with muslim neighbours and friends.” Mohan Lal said “we met scores of Pandits who had come to Srinagar not only from Jammu but from other parts
of the country.” He said that scores of families which had not sold their houses had been staying there for the last two months.They have decided to spent the summer months and return to the plains sometimes in September. Dwarika Nath, who belonged to Anantnag district, said “I have been going to Kashmir for the last three years as a tourist. I do not stay in hotels or houseboats. I feel comfortable in the houses of my muslim friends and neighbours.” Mohan Lal, who has been living
in Jammu and Delhi for the last 17 years, said that “though we crave for returning to Kashmir for many among us the situation has changed to the extent that we may not be able to resettle ourselves permanently.” He explained that children of a major section of Kashmiri Pandits have, after coming out of various
professional colleges, were suitably settled and hence it will not be “feasible to return to Kashmir.” Others who have returned from the valley in recent days said besides these domestic issues the security scenario in Kashmir was yet to be conducive for the return and rehabilitation of Pandits. They said “we met our old Muslim friends and neighbours who painted a dark picture. Many among them said that they were yet to come out of scare of
guns and grenade attacks and of the inconvenience they face during search operations launched by the security forces.”
Many among the visitors to their homeland said that the “idea of resettling, though temporarily, Pandits in safe enclosures in Sheikh Pora, or Mattan or Khirbhawani because it will mean moving to a concentration camp where our movement will be restricted.” They said the Government should explore the possibility to discuss the Pandit return issue with prominent citizens of the valley besides separatists. They said till the atmosphere was conducive “for our return we should be provided with suitable facilities for our stay as visitors in Kashmir since we cannot afford to stay in hotels and houseboats.” They said “it is not feasible for us to stay with our neighbours and friends for more than a week.”
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