Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, June 29: High Court has sought certain instructions from the petitioner counsel on the PIL with regard to relocation of minorities due to recent killings in the Valley.
Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Javed Iqbal Wani before proceeding in the matter has sought certain instructions from the counsel representing the petitioner-Kashmiri Pandit Sangarsh Samiti (KPSS) with regard to the reliefs as sought in the PIL.
“Gowhar Jan, counsel appearing for the petitioner on being put to certain questions, seeks time to look into the matter once again. List on July 4”, Court directed.
The KPSS has moved a representation to the Chief Justice for intervention and taking cognizance on the issue related to killing of Religious Minorities living in Kashmir Valley who as per their version are becoming victim of Terrorism and failure of UT and Central Administration.
The Chief Justice after receiving the representation of KPSS treated as PIL at its very threshold has sought certain information from the counsel representing the Simiti with regard to the reliefs as sought in the representation.
The Simiti submits that in the year 1990, due to political turmoil and armed insurgency induced by one of the neighboring country through some fractions from the Majority Community, Kashmiri Pandits and Hindus living in Kashmir were targeted and killed in order to create fear for life in the minuscule minority which led to the mass migration of the Kashmiri Pandits / Hindus from the Valley and as per the Government Census conducted in the year 2009, only 808 Kashmiri Pandit / Hindu families living in the Valley stayed back and faced all sorts of odds for survival.
They submit that after nearly 20 years in the year 2010, a process of rehabilitation was initiated and the Kashmiri Migrants (Migrant Kashmiri Pandits / Hindus) were given jobs and accommodation so that they could come and stay in Kashmir Valley, but, in the year 2020 a new spree of target killings started
and the fear has increased many folds among the members of the Religious Minorities living in Kashmir Valley including those who never left the Valley even after the 1990 mass migration.
Giving the reference of killings of Kashmiri pundits they added that in the year 2020, Ajay Pandita (Bharti) who was a Sarpanch in one of the Villages in District Anantnag was killed and from then till 31.05.2022 nearly 12 persons from the local Religious Minority were attacked out of which 11 died and one was severely injured.
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