Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 25: Decrying Government apathy, the non-migrant Pandits of Kashmir today demanded rehabilitation and staged a protest in favour of their demands here at city centre.
Under the banner of Hindu Welfare Society Kashmir (HWSK), the agitating Pandits assembled at Press Enclave here in Lal Chowk area and staged anti-Government protest.
The ‘Internally Displaced Families’ from Pandit community rued Centre and State Governments for “turning a blind eye” towards their problems and said: “The displaced Kashmir Pandit community is facing economic hardships and no cash relief or any kind of assistance is being given to us,” adding: “we are living in hazardous conditions and are paying huge amount as rent at different parts of the city.”
In the early 90s, when armed insurgency engulfed whole Kashmir, a vast majority of local Hindus migrated towards Jammu and other parts of the country. However, some Pandit families did not leave the Valley and preferred to move from villages to Srinagar city and other towns.
The protesters said that there are 51 displaced families of Kashmir Pandits, who are settled in city parts and other towns on rental basis, but “no relief is in sight”.
“The Revenue Department informed Relief Commissioner vide letter number RW/MR/46/2012 dated 01/06/2012 regarding the verification of 51 families reviewed from police headquarters Srinagar for rehabilitating them at Shieikhpora,” the non-migrants said, adding: “the State Government has a habit of taking decisions and then forgetting about the implementation part of their decisions.”
The Pandit protesters said the State Government constructed 18 residential quarters for displaced non-migrants at Anantnag district in south Kashmir but “they were given to migrant youths appointed under Prime Minister Package”.
They also sought an employment package for non-migrants as is available for migrant Pandits. Asking Government to “immediately” convene a meeting with the representatives of HWSK, the protesters warned of agitation if their demands are not met.
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