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| EU delegation interacts with KPs | | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | Oct 23
After European Union delegation visited Jammu and Kashmir last month for an on ground assessment of Kashmir issue, today they met the representatives of Kashmiri Pandits, Roots In Kashmir at New Delhi, who stressed that Kashmiri Pandits should be declared as Internally Displaced People, both by the Indian government and the international bodies.
The European Union delegation had invited representatives of Roots in Kashmir (RIK) for a dialogue in order to understand the perspective of the Kashmiri Pandits on the Kashmir issue. RIK coordinators Pawan Durani and Rashneek Kher had an hour long meeting with the EU representatives.
The Ambassador of Portugal, Mendes, Charge'D'Affaires A.I of the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia, Miklavz Borstnik and Dr Alexander SPACHIS, Minister-Counseller, Political Affairs and Co-ordination, European Union.
Pawan Durani said they appraised the EU delegation about the ground reality and the plight of Pandits. The EU delegation was also made aware of the reasons for forced exodus of more than three lakh Pandits and lack of social and political dispensation to the Kashmiri Pandits,. The EU delegation was briefed on the rather apathetic role of State and Central Governments in rehabilitation of the Pandits.
The RIK representatives submitted a 7-page memorandum to the EU delegation, with main theme being to recognize the rights of Kashmiri Pandits and declare them as Internally Displaced People.
RIK appealed to the European Union to recognize Kashmiri Pandits as Internally Displaced People as per the charter of the UNHRC. ``Since we are not migrants as Government of India calls us, we requested the EU delegation to impress upon the Indian Government to declare us as Internally Displaced People'', said Rashneek Kher.
The EU delegation enquired about the present status of Pandits and their position in the present geo-political environment. They were also surprised to note that though the peace initiatives were on the anvil, yet not even one Kashmiri Pandit was allowed to visit Pakistan occupied Kashmir.
The EU delegation very patiently heard and understood the Pandit perspective on the Kashmir issue. A plea by the Pandit delegation that no solution of Kashmir issue be accepted without the involvement of Kashmiri Pandits was also received well by the EU delegation. |
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