Displaced KPs, Sikhs term terror root cause of every problem

A Kashmiri Pandit girl greeting a visiting dignitary by applying ‘Tilak’ on his forehead at Jagti township on Friday. -Excelsior/Rakesh
A Kashmiri Pandit girl greeting a visiting dignitary by applying ‘Tilak’ on his forehead at Jagti township on Friday. -Excelsior/Rakesh

Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Jan 10: The members of displaced Kashmiri Pandit and Sikh communities were unanimous in making an appeal to world community to take drastic action against the Islamic terrorism and the countries sponsoring terrorist activities on their soil.
“The terrorism is posing a grave threat to humanity and it is the root cause of problem throughout the globe today”, said the members of both displaced Pandit and Sikh communities during their interaction with 15 envoys of foreign countries at Jagti township near here this afternoon.
“Terrorism is the main cause of every thing and we are displaced because of terror”, said Bikram Singh a displaced Sikh from Kashmir valley while highlighting the plight of the terror victims from Kashmir leading an exiled life outside for last three decades. He said all nations should join hands to fight the terror as it is spreading its tentacles throughout the globe and action should be taken against the countries exporting the terrorism form their soil.
“Please see what is the basic cause of our problem”, he said, adding that there are some countries supporting terrorism and they should be isolated.
In order to turn the attention of the visiting foreign dignitaries towards their plight, a father -son duo Ravinder Kaul and his 19 year old son Pranav were seen with two placards in their hands which read “Free Kashmir from Islamic Terrorism” and “Islamic Terror is Responsible for Exodus of Kashmiri Pandits”.
However, the Morocco Ambassador, Mohammed Maliki while interacting with the Kashmiri migrants later said that one should make distinction between Islamist and terrorist. He said Islam is not for terror . “Every religion is based on principles and there are some people who use religion for their personal benefits,. Hence one should never link religion with terror as all religions believe in peace”, he added.
Making a presentation on behalf of displaced Pandits and Sikhs, Ashwani Kumar Chrungoo, a displaced KP leader, demanded that all the seven hundred thousand displaced people be resettled at one place in the Valley keeping in view their geo-political and fundamental aspirations.
He further demanded that in order to secure the political rights of the Hindu-Sikh communities in the Valley, the delimitation process need to reserve five seats in the Assembly of in the UT of J&K for these victims. Moreover a Special Crime Tribunal be established to enquire into the excesses , genocide and ethnic cleansing committed against the Hindu Sikh minorities of Kashmir in view of the pronouncement made by National Human Rights Commission in 1999.
He demanded a Bill for protection, preservation, promotion and management of Hindu temples and shrines in Kashmir be adopted as an Ordinance by UT. Further all those Hindus and Sikhs of Kashmir who were forced to leave the Valley in past 700 years due to religious persecution, division of J&K in 1947 and terrorism need to be resettled in Kashmir as the primary stakeholders of the Valley.
Chrungoo also demanded that the recruitment process be initiated on priority basis for remaining posts out of 6000 posts under PM package announced over a decade back and over aged youth of the displaced community who could not apply for the Government jobs due to being over aged may be granted one time compensation.
He said National Human Rights Commission has said in its decision in June 1999 that acts akin to genocide have taken place in Valley while J&K High Court had termed the mass exodus of KPs as unparalleled and adjudged that it can’t be equated with any other displacement of the people in the State. The GoI last year classified the atrocities against the Pandits as “genocide”, he added.
Another memorandum read by Bushan Lal Bhat a senior activist of PK while seeking the intervention of world community in settling this peace loving community which has a rich civilization of over 5000 years at one place in their motherland Kashmir Valley as the community has faced seven exodus during last 700 years.
He said settling them at one place has become imperative so that the victims of genocide can find physical, social, economical, cultural, religious and political security. He said there should be reversal of genocide.
Another memorandum was submitted by Displaced Kashmiri Pandits of All Camps which demanded that word migrants should not be attached to displaced Pandits who are actually uprooted due to terrorism sponsored by Pakistan. It also appealed the world community to come forward to fight the terrorism so that it comes to an end once for all and world will become a peaceful and better place for all human beings.
The High Commissioner of Guyana while commenting on the seven point demands of displaced people said “we support your resettlement in Valley”.
K K Khosa, president Kashmiri Pandit Sabha (KPS) while highlighting the apathy of the community and the attitude of the Valley based politicians regretted that one group of political leaders who met Lt. Governor some days back in their lengthy memorandum did not mention even a single word about the exiled Pandits and their return and rehabilitation to Valley which shows how callous they are about the community. Their main concern was restoration of statehood only. “How they expect that situation will better in Kashmir without the rehabilitation and return of Pandits”, he asked?
Desh Rattan, president All India Migrant Camp Coordination Committee (AIMCCC) while putting the demands of displaced people said there can’t be peace in the world till terrorism comes to an end and countries believing in democratic principles and social order have a bounden duty to take action against the terrorism of which Kashmiri Pandits and Sikhs are the victims for last three decades. “We had a history of thousands of years and have rich history of past but unfortunately we have been made refugees in our own country”, he added.
Virender Raina president PK while supporting one place settlement of displaced Pandits and Sikhs in Valley said there should be no further exodus as in 600 years the community has faced seven exodus. He said the community will not go on any body’s good will but at its own terms and conditions of one place settlement. “The Government should settle us at one place”, he added.
S K Koul, while rejecting that Pandits are against Muslims said that there existed composite culture in Valley which was nurtured by the Pandits only. He said January 19 reminds the entire community about holocaust as on this day in 1990 the community was forced to leave the valley by the radical forces and terrorists.
“Our turmoil of last 30 years is a saga of agony and pain. The community youth lost 30 years of their precious lives and their future has been turned bleak by the prophets of doom, he said adding “Kashmir is ours as we are its indigenous people and have nurtured it with our blood”.
He rejected Government claims of providing jobs to the community and regretted that in last 11 years under PM package only 3500 people out of 6000 were given jobs while the promise of providing self employment to 9000 youth was also not kept, he added.
Earlier, Secretary Relief and Disaster Management, Simrandeep Singh , while unfolding the Government’s policy about the rehabilitation of Pandits said that 6000 jobs were announced under PM package and out of them 3500 appointments were made while others are in process. He said the Government has also sanctioned the construction of 6000 quarters out of which some have been constructed in Valley.
The delegation to Jagti Camp was accompanied by Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Sanjeev Verma, Secretary Relief and Disaster Management, Simrandeep Singh, D C Jammu, Sushma Chauhan, Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner, T K Bhat and others.
Earlier the foreign delegation members were welcomed in a traditional was by the Kashmiri Pandit girls attired in the local dress. They applied Tilak on the forehead of envoys and also showered flowers on them.

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