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| Kashmiri politicians stop hounding of Pandits | | | Ever since the state and the central Governments announced its half baked policy on rehabilitation of displaced Pandits in the Kashmir valley the state of Jammu and Kashmir has been gripped by a political compulsion,a bigger one when the Pandits were forced to flee their ancestral towns and villages in 1990.Though separatists and several other mainstream political parties,especially the PDP and the National Conference, opposed the idea of establishing a separate township,a lone voice in the shape of sermons from one independent MLA,Engineer Rashid seem to have given rise to waves in the Jehlum.First he wanted that Pandits should apologise for their decision to leave the valley.The latest sermon from Rashid is that he is not prepared to call killing of 209 Kashmiri Pandits as a genocide of the community when over 80,000 muslims were killed in the violence that set Kashmir on fire right from 1988 onwards.Though Engineer Rashid was not a member of the Assembly when the exodus of Pandits started because he may have been a student then. Still he is supposed to be in know of the ground realities.Did the Pandits flee their homes in 1990 as part of their plan to go out for an excursion ? certainly not.They left the valley when militants had started indulging in killing of Pandits.Posters threatening Pandits of dire consequences if they did not leave the valley were circulated in Srinagar and other areas of the valley.
Let Engineer understand the level of trauma that suffered for over 24 years in the plains.More than 500 Pandits lost their lives because of either heat st roke,snake bites and other major health related problems.How has Engineer Rashid been able to zero on killing of 209 Pandits by the militants when the official figures indicate that over 350 Pandits were gunned down by militants.They were killed for no fault of theirs.They were eliminated without having any cause for losing their lives.They were not fighting for Azadi.They were not supporting Pakistan.They were not seeking Kashmir's incorporation with Pakistan.If several thousand muslims lost their lives they were fighting for a cause.Some wanted Azadi others were for Kashmir's incorporation with Pakistan.If Pandits had no other alternative for ensuring safety of their lives and dignity and honour but to flee from the valley why should they apologise ?If they have to apologise whom should they do so ? Should they apologise to Engineer Rashid ? Should they apologise to Pakistan for not having supported its plan on annexing Kashmir ? Or Should they apologise Kashmiri separatists whom preferred to lie low while Pandits were being hounded out of the valley ? If any body should apologise it should be militants who had caused scare among not only Pandits but also to all those who lived in Kashmir.Does Engineer Rashid know it that over 18,000 Sikhs,who had migrated to Jammu,were r egistered as migrants in 1990-91 ? Does Engineer Rashid know it that about 15000 to 20,000 Kashmiri muslims too migrated to the plains ?Does he know that majority of big businessmen in Kashmir opened their outlets in various parts of India ? Should these muslims,Sikhs and businessmen also seek an apology ?
Whatever sermons Engineer Rashid has dished out it indicates nothing else than his disgust over the plan of the state and the central Government for facilitating return of the displaced families.It seems that Engineer Rashid is not a lone voice.It indicates that those who keep on opposing settlement of Pandits in separate clusters are actually opposed to the return of Pandits.If they had not been against return of Pandits they should have given time to Pandits to return and learn to adjust to new environment.For information of people like Engineer Rashid if over 3.50 lakh Pandits had fled from the valley in 1990 not more than 3000 to 5,000 Pandits were keen to get resettled in the valley.Others do not have any compulsion because their children and grandchildren are settled in various parts of India and the world.Yes,if there are many more families eager to return to Kashmir they would be seeking an opening so that they could spend a few summer months in Kashmir where they would not be tormented by the Loo,humidity and insects.Hence if some vested interests delight in generating controversy they should abandon it for the sake of peace and communal amity. |
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