Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 15: The Kashmiri Pandit Conference (KPC) in a meeting today at New Delhi expressed strong reservations regarding the proposed “Global Kashmiri Pandit Heritage Tour & Conclave 2026” scheduled to be held in Kashmir from June 6 to June 14.
Kashmiri Pandits believe that the so-called heritage tour appears to be a deliberate attempt to psychologically, socially, and symbolically reintegrate the victimized Kashmiri Pandit community into the same atmosphere and environment from where they were mercilessly hounded out through terrorism, religious extremism, fear, and targeted violence nearly 37 years ago, KPC said.
In a statement issued here, today the KPC chief, Kundan Kashmir said his organisation strongly feels that such programmes are being projected to create an impression before the nation and international community that normalcy has fully returned to Kashmir and that the displaced Kashmiri Pandits are emotionally prepared to reconnect and reintegrate into the Valley. However, the ground realities remain entirely different and deeply painful.
He said that KPs are not tourists, requiring heritage tours to visit their native land Kashmir Valley. They are the original inhabitants and indigenous people of Kashmir who became victims of genocide,. Their houses were burnt, temples desecrated, business establishments looted, properties encroached upon, and thousands of innocent members of the community were killed, humiliated, and forced into exile.
KPC stated with anguish that even after nearly 37 years of exile, the community has not received justice, honourable rehabilitation, political empowerment, Constitutional safeguards, or adequate security guarantees. The culprits responsible for killings, genocide, intimidation, and forced displacement have largely escaped accountability, while the victims continue to suffer in exile under difficult social, economic, and psychological conditions.
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