Abdul Rashid Khan
The J&K Legislative Assembly on 19-01-2017 unanimously passed a resolution for the return of Kashmiri Pandits and others, who have left Kashmir during the armed conflict since 27 years back. The resolution was passed to work for creating a conducive atmosphere for the return of KPs and other migrants. No doubt all the members of Assembly, irrespective of their party affiliations, rose above party politics and passed this important resolution. There have been some difference of opinion among few KPs political groups and at individual level. Some have supported the resolution and others have described it as delayed initiative. But this goes without any exaggeration, that the resolution has a legal endorsement and legislators are determined to ensure the honorable return of KPs. It is also heartening that the Government has also identified 100 acres of land in all the districts of valley for the settlement of the displaced Kashmiri Pandits. It is a fact that excepting few hundred KP families, majority of them have disposed of their properties particularly in cities and urban areas. Though some families belonging to rural areas had retained their houses and landed property yet the buyers took undue benefit of the volatile situation, forced the KPs, who were apprehending security threats, to sell their properties at throw away prices to build their residential/ business houses in city and towns. Actually, the Government of the time, also handled the situation of preserving and retaining the properties of displaced KPs with nonchalant attitude as they did not totally ban the selling and buying of the KPs property, though lately some restrictions were imposed on the purchase of distress property. The KPs should not have felt the need of disposing of their properties, had the Government provided them the required shelter and sufficient daily maintenance as relief so that they could have lived a honorable life till their return to their hearths in Kashmir.
It is painful for any community to leave its roots and live in exile. But it is also preposterous to blame the members of the majority community in general. Actually, there is a section of people who have been influenced by the radicalism. And it is this group of people who may be creating hurdles in the return of KPs. The 19th January is remembered by the minority community as the darkest day. It was on the night of this day, that they felt most scared and threatened because of the slogans and announcements made from the loud speakers of the mosques which caused night mare scenes all around. Actually in such situation and under these given circumstances, if one is haunted by the thoughts of fear during night hours, no sane or peace loving person could sleep or live freely. Therefore, they had no alternative but to shift their families to safer places such as Jammu, Udhampur, Delhi and other places of country, to protect their children and women folk from the disturbing situation, leaving behind their hearth and home.
After their displacement, the families were got initially settled by the Government in various camps like, Jagti, Nagrota, Muthi and Purkhoo in Jammu. During the period of settlement in these camps, they had to face many hardships such as the extreme hot climate and unhygienic conditions. Many of them who were old had to suffer sun-strokes and some became diabetic. Being myself a patient of diabetes I used to visit a doctor, a known Diabetologist, also our family friend, at his clinic at Auqaf Market, Gandhi Nagar, Jammu. Whenever I happened to visit his clinic, I would always find there a huge rush of patients belonging to KP community for consultations.
On my observations, the doctor Sb. once told me that most of the elders of this community, suffer from stress diabetes due to the tension and strain they had been undergoing. This professional Doctor proved to be a Messiah for many such patients including me. In the summer of 1990, I had to witness a very pathetic scene in a function at Muthi Camp, where the letters of allottment for one room tenement, were being handed over to the kith and kin of the deceased KPs. A widow, who on hearing the name of his deceased husband, a victim of the violence, could not bear the shock and fainted. When she regained the consciousness after some time, she was not able to stand with and collect the letter. And ultimately her teen age girl went to dais to receive the copy of allotment order. The earlier days of displacement were horrible for the families to live in tents and one room accommodation which was not sufficient to meet their dwelling requirements. Coming from the areas with moderate temperature they had to face scorching heat which they had not ever experienced before. But despite of their struggle and heavy odds, they left no stone unturned in educating and building the future of their children.
The credit really goes to their heads of families who faced those days of hardship with resilience and endurance. They carried themselves with pride, their culture, ethos and food habits. It is also appreciable that they upheld the old traditions of Kashmiriat and their mother tongue in all situations and circumstances, where ever they went. Though most of the youth who are well settled in MN companies across the country and abroad, are not eager to get settled in Valley at the cost of giving up their brilliant career. But the elders who are born there and spent their childhood and youth and carry beautiful memories, are waiting for the day to come, when they will be peacefully settled there. The Government is now duty bound to fulfill their legal commitment by creating a conducive atmosphere for the smooth return of KPs to their Mauj Kasheer. Since they are the aborigines of Kashmir, it is their home and no body has any right to think otherwise. The settlement of KPs needs to be seen through the prism of humanity. Radicalism in any religion or in any form is no way good and therefore has no place in the Valley which is an abode of saints, sufis and reshis.
(The author is former IGP)
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