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| Even before homecoming, murmur begins over 'new residential status' of returnees | | Return and Rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits-1 | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, July 3 : Even before the first family of migrant Kashmiri pandits could have begin journey back home, locals without any ambiguity want them to become part of their "struggle".
Not only this, they want them to take sides. Locals in Kulgam, Baramulla, Pulwama and Kupwara districts of Kashmir valley are waiting with open arms to welcome Kashmiri pandits back to their homes. They do talk at length about the past of Kashmir valley and especially, make a mention of cordial Kashmiri Pandit-Muslim relationships. They remind you of Malik's who were the first to locate holy Amarnath cave and also remained its caretakers for a long time.
But a deeper look unveils the stark reality that is being ignored both by Jammu and Kashmir government and New Delhi i.e. residential status of Kashmiri Pandits after 21 years of their exile from the places where they used to live. Early Times carried out an extensive survey in those four districts of Kashmir valley where New Delhi is planning to resettle exiled Kashmiri Pandits Viz. Kulgam, Baramulla, Pulwama and Kupwara.
From Kulgam to Baramullah, positives did make a beeline but Early Times team preferred to look into negatives inorder to make the government think twice before inviting another disaster at its doorsteps. Locals, essentially those who are regarded as opinion makers or village elders are of the firm opinion that if Kashmiri Pandits return, they would have to become part of their "struggle" and take part in demonstrations and protests alongside them.
They say "They are our flesh and blood but how can they remain silent when they would come home. They have to stand alongside us in trying times." These elders assert that KPs would not remain mute spectators to the injustice that they are facing all alone at present. "They have to re-orient their style of living. They have to get adjusted to our way of living," elders opine.
Not only elders, even the new generation with whom the Kashmiri Pandit youth has to intermingle in Kashmir valley seemingly want some kind assurance from the Pandit families that they would not subscribe to ideology which is pro-india. "Look Kashmir is disputed so until it is not resolved, we can neither claim to be Indians nor Pakistani. Our identity till the time, a decision is taken is disputed. They have to understand this," said a youth who neither spotted a beard nor looked like one having a leaning towards hardliners.
Maintaining that he likes everything whatever their is India, the youth from a remote area of Kulgam district said that Kashmiri Pandits would find it extremely difficult to re-start a living with a generation which has not seen any other community other than theirs. "Barring those who left the state to make a living for themselves, nearly 60 to 70 percent Kashmiri youth do not know anything about Kashmiri Pandit community apart from this that once they lived in their neighbourhood," added the youth who is doing private business in Anantnag.
In Kupwara where major chunk of Kashmiri Pandit youth are working in government sector, the talk is nothing different. "We are here to work and in no way, would our families return to the valley. Animosity may not be the case but the fact remains that things have changed a lot in the last 21 years. Economy under safe heaven runs the show and not the emotions. Gun may not be here but volatile mindset is more dangerous than weapon," said a Kashmiri Pandit youngman working in a government institution in a remote village in Kupwara.
He said that government can give Kashmiri Pandits isolated camps to live in but canot guarantee their safety. "Gun is gone but the minds on both sides have been polluted to such an extent that return would mean day in and day out problems for both the communities. An India-Pakistan cricket match would be enough to lead to communal riots," asserted the youngman.
He opined that it would more than a decade to bridge the ideological divide between the new breed of Kashmiri muslims and Pandits. "One has seen booming guns, burning houses, custodial killings, disappearances, rapes and murders while lost everything he had earned throughout his life. Both are victimised lots. The only difference is that KPs are living in exile while their counterparts are still living in their houses across Kashmir valley," said another KP youngman.
To be continued............
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