Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, May 21: The proposed move of Union Government on return and rehabilitation of exiled Pandits has once again been put in cold storage with State Government ruling out separate colonies for them in Kashmir Valley.
Though return and rehabilitation of Pandits being the part of the Agenda of Alliance (AOA) of PDP and BJP coalition partners, the Government’s volte face after succumbing to the pressure of separatists and some main stream political parties has generated a hot debate over the issue.
Besides, the Kashmiri Pandits the State Government’s stand has drawn a flake from various non Pandit social and political organizations in the State. Though Government spokesman and Education Minister, Naeem Akhtar tried to put the ball in the court of civil society of Kashmiri seeking their opinion on the issue, his rejection of the move has baffled the coalition partner BJP as well as some BJP leaders have also objected the Minister’s statement saying that he should have not gone public on the issue which is the part of Agenda of Alliance.
The statement has also put the BJP into a quandary with some opposition parties of Jammu questioning its stand on Pandits return.
Fully backing construction of separate colonies for Pandits in Valley, former Minister and MLA Udhampur, Pawan Gupta said the settlement of the community at concentrated places is must for their safety and security.
Ridiculing the statement of Naeem Akhtar, he said it indicates that the PDP which is the alliance partner of BJP does not want Pandits to come back and BJP is hand in glove with it as the Minister who is the spokesman of the Government would have not given it without taking BJP into confidence.
He said the situation is not conducive and normal in Valley and peace is a distant dream for years to come as some international forces including Pakistan is hell bent to destabilize the peace process. So under these circumstances who is responsible for security of Pandits, Gupta asked?.
Same were the views of NPP chairman and former MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia who said his party fully backs return of Pandits in separate colonies. He said entire nation is for return of Pandits and BJP has been exposed over the issue. What problem Government has in constructing colonies for them in their homeland, he asked?
He warned that in case the Party backtracks from its stand the NPP will launch agitation in support of Pandits’ demand.
The Shiv Sena president Dimpy Kohli while expressing his surprise over the statement of Government spokesman said this shows that PDP is dictating terms to BJP and the later has no stand on vital national issues. He said SS fully backs separate colonies for Pandits in Valley as there is no harm in the same.
Maintaining that return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants was the part of Agenda of Alliance, BJP State president, Sat Sharma said that his Party is committed to the same. “BJP is committed to settlement of Pandits in Valley provided they are willing for return., It is the part of Agenda of Alliance and we will go in accordance with the same” Sharma added.
His Party MLC and a lone representative of Kashmiri Pandits in State Legislature, Surinder Ambardar said this is a non issue at present. The majority of Muslims in Kashmir want Pandits to be back and Pandits also want to return and rebuilt Kashmir, he added.
However there should be an interface between the Pandits and the State Government as well as between Pandits and Central Government over the issue first and when that stage of return comes the community will have interaction with the civil society of Kashmir on its own. However Ambardar said primarily the thrust should be on construction of 6000 transit accommodations for the 6000 employees appointed under PM package.
He said the KPs will not return on the directives and dictations of any body but on their own parameters and conditions set by them as their return modules should ensure their retention also.
The Government decision has also evoked a strong protest among Kashmiri Pandits with All Migrant Camp Coordination Committee (AMCCC) activists protesting in front of Press Club here today.
Protesting against Akhtar’s statement AMCCC said Kashmir belongs to Pandits as it belongs to leaders of NC, Congress and separatist Hurriyat and Pakistan has no locus standi over Kashmir.
AMCCC president Desh Rattan said that Pandits have over 5000 year long history in Kashmir while Muslims are only over 600 year old and hence no one can deny them their right in Valley.
Rattan said neither, State Government nor the bureaucracy is interested in return of Pandits as they all have developed a vested interest. Demanding rehabilitation of exiled Pandits AMCC warned to launch agitation and start the same from Union Capital.
All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC) has also taken a strong exception to the statement of Naeem Akhtar. The president of organization Ravinder Raina urged the present Government not to ply with the sentiments of Pandits.
In a hard hitting statement issued here today Raina said that rulers feel proud of enriching the phraseology of Kashmir sloganeering like “Bharat Mata Ka Taj”, “Atoot Ang”, “Shah Rag” and dignified return of Pandits to preserve Kashmiriyat. But Kashmiri Pandit has become now aware after passing 27 years in scorching heat. The portrait of Bharat Mata and dignified return he was looking through the prism of BJP has proved hollow as it is irony and unfortunate that BJP is playing “Tabla Wadhak” in the choir of PDP, Congress and NC.
Kashmiri Pandit Sabha (KPS) also expressed grave concern over abrupt volte -face by State Government. KP Sabha which met here, today under the leadership of its president K K Khosa said the Government had in principle agreed to resettle Pandits in separate township in Valley and Union Government had given a proposal in high level meeting chaired by Home Minister. The members expressed utter disappointment over the fact that an elected Government that is supposed to provide good governance has succumbed to the pressure of separatists and anti national elements who have no right to dictate the terms to Government. If the decisions of the Government are made to overturn under pressure then the people will loose faith in it and the Government has no business to remain in power, the statement added.
The members appealed the Central Government headed by Narendra Modi to decisively intervene in the matter to restore the confidence of exiled Pandits who had welcomed the important step regarding their return.
Expressing his dismay over the statement KPC chief Kundan Kashmiri said that it is unfortunate that even after 27 years of the community’s ouster from Valley the Government is not ready to take a strong decision on their return and rehabilitation and continues to bow before the dictates of the separatists who have brought J&K to peril.
Kashmiri said that Pandits being the indigenous people of Valley have every right to settle in their homeland and nothing except their settlement at a single concentrated place in Valley was acceptable to them.
President Nove Soan Kashmir Front and Jagti Tenement Committee Shadi Lal Pandita has also lambasted the PDP Minister’s statement over the issue and said that this indicates that PDP is bowing before the pressure of separatists and some vested elements in Valley to sabotage the move.
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