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| Remembering Pt.Tilka Lal Taploo& Other Martyrs | | 14 September - KP Martyrs Day | | Omkar Dattatray
14 September is annually observed as martyrs’ day by Kashmiri Pandits to remember all those who felled to the bullets of terrorists for the only reason of being Indians. Pandit Tika Lal Taploo was a household name in Kashmir. Taploo was a towering politician, Kashmiri Pandit leader, renowned social worker, RSS activist, BJP Vice-president, advocate and above all a great human being always ready to help the needy people without any distinction of religion and caste. As an advocate of Jammu and Kashmir High court, he used to plead cases of poor Muslim women without any fee. He was famous among both Kashmiri Pandits and Kashmiri Muslims. Taploo was fearless like a loin and was in fact a loin in the KP community. Taploo was also associated with the ASKPC Sheetal Nath Srinagar. Tika Lal was a fatherly figure for the Kashmiri Pandits although he was not so elderly. Taploo was a down to earth man and remained in the forefront of service to KP and KM community and thus he was the darling of both Hindus and Muslims of Kashmir .Taploo was born on 6 October 1930 in Srinagar Kashmir to KP parents. He graduated from Punjab University and did his master’s degree in Arts and LLB from Aligarh Muslim University .In later life ,he practiced as an advocate in J&K High Court Srinagar and engaged in political activity. He was the vice-president of BJP in Jammu and Kashmir and also an active member of RSS. He stood for several elections to J&K assembly, however he was never elected, reportedly due to gerrymandering of his electoral constituency. Thaploo had a large following as a social and political activist. Unfortunately Thaploo was assassinated by the JKLF militants near his residence on September 14,1989 by laying an ambush & hiding from a parked vehicle fearing retaliation from the brave leader of KP community. He was cremated on next day which saw a large gathering which included many leaders and attendance of L.K.Advani & Kidar Nath Sahini .His killing had attracted large condemnation from KP community and the nationalist people of the country also condemned his assassination. It brought a pall of grief and gloom in the Kashmiri pundits. He was killed to scare the minority community as he was the tall leader of KP’s and with this the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits begun .Taploo was the first leader from the KP community who was killed. The 14 September is every year observed as the martyrs’ day by the KP’s to pay tribute not only to Taploo but all KP martyrs, & security forces martyred. The KP’s had to pay the supreme sacrifice of their lives because they were Indian’s. It is said that Taploo had said on the killing of a NC leader Phalwan that the bullet has yet to be there which can kill him. Tika Lal was referred and addressed as Lala by both Kashmiri Pandits and KM’s and he was dear to both the communities. On his unfortunate killing both KPs and KM’s grieved. So Taploo was the tallest Kashmiri Pandit leader, a career advocate and one of the early BJP leaders from Kashmir valley who was killed in the tumultuous years of insurgency by the militants of Yasin Malik’s JKLF. Taploo was such a big leader that the BJP’s election manifesto promises ‘ghar wapsi’ of Kashmiri Pandits via the Tika Lal Taploo Visthapit Samaj Punarvas Yojana ,if and when it forms the government in J&K. Along with Taploo’s association with the BJP, his deep roots with RSS make him the ideal choice for the BJP to name a scheme for the return of the Pandits. At a time when BJP was in its nascent stage, Taploo’s personal charisma outshined that of the BJP, at least in J&K . Taploo was a pan-India figure in the truest sense who was born in Srinagar, received higher education in Punjab and UP but came back to work where he belonged –Jammu and Kashmir .He went to jail many times in 1967 agitation of KP’s and later during emergency. Pandit Tika Lal Taploo’s date of death is remembered as ‘Martyrdom Day’ by Kashmiri Hindus and bodies that support the cause of those who had to flee in the face of terrorism in 1989-90.Every year 14 September is remembered as ‘Martyrdom Day’ by Kashmiri Hindus and its organizations .In fact a motion was tabled in UK Parliament ,to commemorate the ’Martyrdom Day ‘of Kashmir ,on 14 September 2020.Pandit Taploo’s killing at the hands of terrorists was a turning point in the conflict in the region as he was then the most prominent Kashmiri Hindu leader in the valley. It also sparked the spree of terrorist attacks on Kashmiri Hindu leaders .Pandit Taploo’s assassination was arguably the biggest blow to the morale of Kashmiri Hindus who had dug in their heels to stay back in the valley. It appears that he was chosen as a target strategically to create mayhem that culminated in the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus. When PM Indira Gandhi imposed emergency in 1975, he courted arrest at Lal Chowk in Srinagar and led the agitation against it in the valley. He had a large following amongst both Muslims and Hindus. He was popularly addressed as ‘Lala-elder brother by the common people for his helpful attitude cutting across religious lines .He was known for his extensive social activities and led a Spartan lifestyle .It was his popularity among Muslims that proved to be one of the major challenges for terrorists in Kashmir who were trying to communalize the atmosphere in the 1980s.After he received many threats from the terrorists, Taploo took his family to Delhi but he came back to challenge them. Four days after he returned from Delhi ,he was attacked at his residence in Chinkral Mohalla. He publically challenged the terrorists to dare to attack him again .On 14 September, 1989 in broad daylight he was shot dead by the terrorists. Muslims of the valley also attended his funeral in large numbers. His assassination was a brutal blow to the resolve of KP’s and it sent shock waves among the community. They expressed their anguish by shutting all shops and business establishments for a day as a mark of protest. This was probably the first and last time that Kashmiri Hindus had observed a ‘bandh ‘in the valley .September 14 is just another day for many of us. For the displaced Kashmiri Hindus, though this day marks the beginning of atrocities they suffered at the hands of terrorists in 1989 .Since his brutal killing, KP’s commemorate September 14 as the Martyrs Day. This is the day to remember KP leader Taploo and all those martyrs who sacrificed their lives for India. On this day we recall the supreme sacrifices of all the leaders whom militants killed only because they were Indian and nationalist to the core .Let the martyrs Day inspire us to resolve to return to the land of birth and also to serve the KP community till they are in exile .May the martyrs memory live long and may we recall the services of all these martyrs of the Kashmiri Pandit community and of the nation at large. Let us observe the KP Martyrs Day every year with gratitude to all the martyrs and continue to pay tribute to these noble souls. May the memories of KP martyrs live long in our lives & inspire us to serve society.
The author is a columnist, social, KP activist & Freelancer |
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