Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 7: Panun Kashmir (PK) has urged Yogi Adityanath to introduce reservation or special provisions for displaced Kashmiri Pandit students in medical colleges across Uttar Pradesh, highlighting the continuing educational hardships faced by the community after its forced exile from Kashmir.
In a memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister, Kuldeep Raina, general secretary of PK , said the displaced Kashmiri Pandit community continues to endure the consequences of the Jatividhwans that led to genocide and mass displacement over three decades ago. He stated that the tragedy not only resulted in the loss of homes and livelihoods but also severely disrupted the educational foundations of generations of Kashmiri Pandits.
“Education remains the primary instrument through which our community is attempting to rebuild its future with dignity. However, access to professional courses, particularly medical education, remains severely restricted due to the absence of targeted institutional support,” Raina said.
He further noted that several states across India have recognized the extraordinary circumstances of the displaced community by extending reservation or special consideration in professional institutions, including medical colleges. “Such measures have provided meaningful relief to families still coping with the long-term consequences of genocide and exile,” he added.
Tito Ganju, official spokesman of PK, emphasized that Uttar Pradesh, despite being a major educational hub and civilizational centre, currently has no such provision for displaced Kashmiri Pandit students. “We expect Uttar Pradesh to acknowledge the unique challenges faced by our displaced youth and adopt a policy framework that ensures fair access to professional education,” he said.
Highlighting the moral dimension of the demand, Ganju stated that providing reservation in medical colleges would serve as an institutional recognition of the historic injustices suffered by the community and demonstrate national solidarity with the victims of displacement.
Behari Lal Kaul, organising secretary PK, underscored the community’s expectations from the present State leadership. He described Uttar Pradesh as a historic refuge for persecuted communities and expressed hope that the Government would respond sympathetically to the long-pending concerns of displaced Kashmiri Pandits.
Kaul also referred to the community’s spiritual association with the Nath tradition and expressed reverence for the Chief Minister in his role as a Mahant of the Nath lineage.
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