GKPD writes to HM
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 17: Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKPD) has demanded addressing of longstanding demands of displaced Pandits.
In a letter to Home Minster, Amit Shah today by JKPD international coordinator, Utpal Kaul, it said the demands submitted to the Prime Minister in a memorandum in 2018 be settled immediately. It called upon all Parliamentarians of the country across the party lines to come together and pass a bill in this regard in the current Session of Parliament on the time bound plan of the Displaced Pandits return and rehabilitation.
The letter showed its pleasure that voices within BJP and opposition parties are rising in favour of resettlement of Displaced Pandits from Valley. “The Kashmiri Pandits generally and GKPD specifically has formally sought engagement with the Government and the Home Ministry where a collective partnership effort can end up with an outcome which is good for the community, for Kashmiri society, for India’s national interest and its civilizational continuity’’, the letter added.
It said the GKPD also sought intervention of HM towards some figures mentioned by him in his speech and demanded that the same be amended for official records. It said that HM has mentioned that 44,000 families have been displaced from Valley while the Home Affairs Standing Committee of Rajya Sabha in its 179th report in 2014 on the Action Taken by Government on the recommendations contained in the 137th report quoted an official figure of 59,442 (at present the figure stands at 62,000 approximately). “Our own numbers are much larger since many spread in many parts of the country and others left the country.’’ It said the same report mentioned a figure of families drawing relief at 20,633 with 17,248 in Jammu and 3385 in Delhi. Relief is also being drawn in Udhampur, Reasi etc. This number has declined further as per our community estimates’’, the letter added.
It said the Prime Minister package of 2008 was meant to provide 15,000 employment opportunities with 6000 State Government jobs. But 10 years later the same figures are mentioned for providing houses and employment in the Valley for KPs by 2022.
The letter, while appreciating the leadership of PM Modi and the historical decision of August 5, 2019 said the humiliation, pain and genocide suffered by the KPs can’t be counted in sums of money. The genocide can’t be diminished or trivialized through selective and reductive facts. It sought the support of GoI in rectifying the immeasurable loss suffered by the community.
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