Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 3: Various political and social organizations in J&K as well as New Delhi have taken serious exception to the remarks of Union Minister of State for Culture and Foreign Affairs, Meenakshi Lekhi against the Kashmir Pandits.
Reacting to the statement of Lekhi Apni Party, general secretary and former MLC, Vijay Bakaya has expressed shock that the analogy of migrant laborers has been used for the forced migration of KPs in the year 1990. Bakaya was anguished over the insensitivity of the remark which trivializes a human tragedy which shook the conscience of the world.
Bakaya said that the Central Government should clarify whether this is their stand regarding rehabilitation of displaced KPs.
The Kashmiri Panidit Sabha (KPS) expressed its deep anguish at the most insensitive and shocking statement made by the Minister about the return and rehabilitation of internally displaced Pandits to the land of their ancestors.
The Minister seems to be suffering from amnesia since she has forgotten that the entire KP community was forced to flee from the Valley due to persecution and genocide when there was grave threat to their religion.
The community faced massacres and thousands members were killed by terrorists, while their houses and other properties were looted and razed to ground, said KP Sabha chief, K . K Khosa while strongly reacting to Lekhi’s statement. “Her insensitivity and feigned ignorance is surely a matter of concern in view of the repeated assurances of PM, Narendra Modi, Home Minister, Amit Shah and Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha that the robust policy for return and rehabilitation of KPs will be formulated in consultation with the community leadership”.
Jammu Kashmir Vichar Manch (JKVM) has also expressed its anguish over the statement of Lekhi and termed it unfortunate and outrageous.
Dileep Matto, president JKVM said the statement has hurt the sentiments of the community as comparison of ethnic genocide to that of migration of laborers was uncalled for and unfortunate.
While condemning the statement, Mattoo demanded that the Minister should withdraw the statement immediately and seek apology.
Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKPD) calls on Government of India to disassociate itself from Minister Meenakshi Lekhi’s provocative remarks on Kashmir Pandit genocide and their return and rehabilitation.
GKPD asked the Minister to withdraw her ill advised comment and urged the Government of India to partner with the KP community to come up with a long term, equitable solution to their genocide.
Kashmiri Hindu Conference (KHC) convener, P L Koul Budgami and president Magam Bangil Sabha, Raj Nath Raina have termed the Minister’s remarks totally shameful who denigrated a community having over 5000 years rich civilization which is intolerable.
They said the Modi Government should clear its stand on the return and rehabilitation of the displaced Pandits and reign in its Ministers from making such controversial and disparaging remarks against a community whose contribution to Indian aesthetics and Shaiv Darshan is immense and unparallel. They made it clear that no respectable and peace loving community will tolerate such disparaging remarks against it and the Minister should seek immediate apology to the community.
KPC president Kundan Kashmiri while condemning Minister’s remarks sought apology form her. He urged the PM Modi to clear stand on return and rehabilitation of displaced Pandits as there is lot of confussion over the issue.
Follow our WhatsApp channel