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| Will Pandits return to Kashmir ? | | | Is the situation in Kashmir favourable for the return of Pandits?The issue of their return surfaces with every religious festival connected with the Kashmiri Pandits.This is what has happened on Thursday when Chief Minister,Omar Abdullah,touched the topic of Pandits' return to Kashmir during his visit to Kheerbhawani shrine,27 kms from Srinagar where a large number of Pandits had gathered on the occasion of Jeshta Ashtami.Pandits not only from Jammu but from various other states,including the union capital,had travelled to the shrine as they have been doing for the last over 15 years.Even at the peak of militancy between 1990 and 1994 a few hundred pandits used to visit the shrine for offering prayers.And when the newsmen saw several thousand Pandits having gathered at the shrine they had felt motivated on asking a question to Omar Abdullah about the prospects of the return of the displaced people to the valley.
And for the first time a ruling political leader gave vent to his feelings which were based on reality. Without sermonizing on the issue he stated that while the Government was making efforts to bring migrant Kashmiri Pandits back to the valley,it will be possible when the community feels confident about their return."We are making efforts for their return but they have to be prepared for it. They should feel assured and confident about their return."This was his message to the Pandits.He also conveyed to the displaced people that since militancy was on decline in the state it should encourage Pandits to think of returning to Kashmir.In support of his contention he has referred to the ongoing Panchayat elections which have remained incident free and attracted heavy participation in voting by the people.Omar is right when he says that return is linked with the confidence of pandits in the security environment.
Yes,there has been improvement in the overall situation in the Kashmir valley in the sense that the incidents of militancy related violence have declined.The attitude of the separatists is no longer hard towards the Pandits as it used to be earlier when some among them would say that Pandits could return to Kashmir provided they participated in the freedcom struggle.People like Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mohd.Yasin Mailk have been inviting Pandits to return to Kashmir.But majority of the displaced people have problems that may not enthuse them whenever they are invited to return.First of all majority of displaced people have gone through the era of selling their houses and land for a song which the Government calls distress sales.Hence they do not have houses where they can live.The Government plan of assisting them in renovating and building houses has many flaws,the first being the quantum of monetary help is too meagre to allow them to purchase even five marlas of land.A large number of educated youths in the displaced community have been able to get lucrative jobs and for them the state of Jammu and Kashmir has neither the jobs nor can the Government afford to provide them suitable pay package.Hence they and their parents may have no interest in returning to Kashmir on a permanent basis.If it has taken more than six months for the Government to release the salary to those 2,000 Pandits employed under the Prime Minister's employment package one can imagine the level of concern the Government has for the migrants. There are others who are not sure whether they will be able to enjoy freedom of speech and movement once they return to the valley.Without going into the number game,how many are prepared to return to Kashmir,both the Government and the majority community need to encourage those who were willing to relive in Kashmir.
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