Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 19: Several Kashmiri Pandit (KP) organisations staged protests, held meetings and other events here to mark the 33rd Holocaust Day of the community, on Thursday.
The protesting KP bodies demanded that their genocide is recognised, perpetrators are brought to the book and laws are enacted to prevent and punish the crime of genocide.
Panun Kashmir, an amalgam of several displaced Kashmiri Pandit bodies, observed the 33rd Holocaust Day by staging a protest here at Buta Nagar Displaced Camp.
The protest was led by Dr Ajay Chrungoo, Chairman, Panun Kashmir; Advocate Ankur Sharma, Chairman, IkkJutt Jammu, and Tsering Samphel, former MLA and President of Ladakh Budhist Association.
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Addressing the protestors, Dr Ajay Chrungoo said, “the vicious cycle of killing of Kashmiri Pandits and other religious minorities that began in the Valley in the 90s is yet to end. And along with this ongoing genocide, we are witnessing the ruthless campaign of denial of Hindu genocide by the successive dispensations.”
Kashmiri Samiti Delhi (Regd.) along with all other leading Kashmiri Pandit organisations of Delhi NCR held a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar.
The protestors said, “this day reminds us of the mass exodus of a community by Pakistan sponsored forces and other support system manipulated through the subversion of the entire state apparatus by thos who had remained at the helm of the affairs in state since a long time”.
The Samiti members appealed to the Union Government to address the genuine issue of the genocide and rehabilitation of the community.
Kashmiri Pandit Sabha Ambphalla Jammu held a meeting under the chairmanship of KK Khosa, President to mark the 33rd year of the forced exodus of the Kashmiri Pandit community from Valley.
Addressing the participants of the meeting, he said, “inspite of passage of 33 years no government has thus far shown the political will to formulate and implement a return and rehabilitation policy for the KPs to settle them back in the land of their ancestors.”
The Sabha appealed to the Union Government to form a robust relief and rehabilitation policy for the displaced KPs.
Kashmiri Khatri Hindu Maha Sabha also held a meeting here to mark the Holocaust Day of the community.
Chairman/President of the Sabha, Er Ramesh Chander Mahajan recalled the terror of 1990s in Kashmir and urged upon the Union Government to set up a tribunal to probe the mass exodus and killing of the Kashmiri Pandits.
He also demanded constitution of a commission to identify the people responsible for the genocide of the KPs so that they are brought to the book.
Jagti Tenement Committee /Soan Kashmir Front also staged a protest at Jagti Township Nagrota under the chairmanship of Committee President Shadi Lal Pandita to observe the 33rd year of exodus of the Pandits from the Valley.
Pandita said that on this terrible day, Kashmiri Pandits were forcefully expelled from their homes by the Pakistani and Kashmiri terrorists.
He said, his organisation has been protesting for the past more than two-and-a-half years while seeking a hike in the cash relief of relief holders from Rs 13000 to Rs 25000 besides redressal of other genuine grievances of the community “but our requests are falling on the deaf ears”.
All Displaced Unit Forum Jammu also observed the Holocaust Day at Durganagar by wearing black badges.
The forum members observed two minutes silence in the honour of those who offered supreme sacrifices “following path of Sanatana Dharma” by keeping the National Flag high in Kashmir Valley during the turmoil years.
The forum appealed to the Union Government to pass a bill recognising the genocide of KPs to punish the perpetrators.
All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC) held a meeting here to pay tributes to the martyrs of Kashmiri Pandit community.
The conference President RK Wangno expressed demise and grief over the innocent killings and demanded that the community’s genocide is recognised.
Vomedh organised a large event at Abhinav Theatre Jammu to commemorate the Holocaust Day of the community.
Vomedh conceived the event differently this year by creating an idea exchange platform with galaxy of community leaders from UT and outside shared their views to preserve the socio-cultural aspects for the survival of the community.
Rakesh Roshan Bhat, mentor of Vomedh, said, “on this Holocaust Day there is a need to take a look beyond just commemorating the fateful day. The already shrinking community is threatened by the loss of traditions, language, culture and roots”.
“We hope that this program will trigger a positive through process and a chain reaction hopefully of ground actions by individuals and other organisations to work in this direction,” he added.
In his address, Chairman, Ikk Jutt Jammu, Ankur Sharma demanded that the Union of India must recognise Hindu genocide, separation of Jammu Division from Kashmir and grant of Panun Kashmir Homeland.
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