Resolution calling for return of Kashmir Pandits passed

Motion calls for the return of all people who had migrated from state over the last 27 years

On the 27th anniversary of the mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits, the Jammu and Kashmir (J & K) state government yesterday passed a unanimous resolution calling for their return to the valley.

Former chief minister (CM) and National Conference (NC) working president Omar Abdullah moved a resolution favouring the return of all people, including Kashmiri Pandits, who had migrated from the state in the last 27 years.

“Besides Kashmiri Pandits, people from other communities including Sikhs also migrated from Kashmir due to turmoil. The government should ensure that all those people return to Kashmir,” Abdullah said in the House.

On January 19, 1990, hundreds of thousands of Kashmiri Pandits, in particular, were forced to flee from Kashmir after the outbreak of militancy.

Abdullah said all political parties should rise above their affiliations and create a congenial atmosphere for the return of migrants.

“All the political parties should forget their differences, rise above their affiliations and pass a resolution to create an atmosphere so that all those people who have left Kashmir could return. We should be united on this,” he added.

Earlier in the day, he had tweeted in support of the Kashmiri Pandit community.

“27 years is 27 too many,” he posted.

After the resolution was passed, J & K assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta read it to the House. “A conducive atmosphere should be created for the safe return of Kashmiri Pandits and other migrants,” the resolution read.

‘Inseparable’

Meanwhile, slamming those who opposed setting up of transit accommodation for Kashmiri Pandits in the valley, state CM Mehbooba Mufti questioned how their return could bring about a demographic change.

“The separatists are opposing the return of Kashmiri Pandits saying that if they come back it will bring about a demographic change,” Mufti said.

“How is it a demographic change? Those who have taught us, lived and grown up with us and in whose homes we used to eat food and those who are an inseparable part of our culture, what demographic change will there be if they return back to Kashmir?

“I fail to understand this logic,” she said, adding opposing their return to the valley was against the spirit of Kashmiriyat (culture of Kashmir).

“Our people want to come back and we say this is demographic change. They want to live in transit accommodation and we say that this is demographic change. This is absolutely wrong. It is not Kashmiriyat,” she added.

Meanwhile, actor Anupam Kher said the future of Kashmiri Pandits was in the dark.

“As far as Kashmiri Pandit’s future is concerned, everything is in dark. I don’t think even 0.1 per cent of them are staying in Kashmir. We need to go back but we cannot go back in an atmosphere of fear. We cannot go back to the atmosphere of false security. We need to find solution,” he said.

Kher said that January 19, 1990 was a black day, remembered by Kashmiri Pandit’s for the exodus.