Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 20: Taking serious exception to the statement of Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde that problems of Kashmiri Pandits are settled now and they do not need benefit of any package, the activists of Youth All India Kashmiri Samaj (YAIKS) staged a protest demonstration here today and blocked the Tawi bridge.
The protestors were led by R K Bhat president, YAIKS.
Raising slogans against the Union Home Minister, the protestors demanded an apology from him as the statement has hurt the sentiments of the community.
With placards in their hands, the protestors were demanding justice for the community which has been thrown out from their homes and hearths over 23 years back and were leading an exiled life since then in different parts of the country outside Kashmir valley.
Ridiculing the statement that KPs have been provided all the facilities for their settlement and there was no need of doing any thing more for them in this regard, hence the community will be excluded from the recently announced Udaan employment package for 17,000 youth of the State, the protestors said that the Union Home Minister is bereft of facts.
Mr Shinde was supposed to visit and see the plight of displaced Pandits living in camps and non camp localities and leading a miserable life for last 23 years before issuing such statement. They reminded him that Pandits are permanently residing in camps at Jammu and they are craving to return to their birth place Kashmir for permanent settlement. Return to their birth place is their right and no one can snatch this right from them, they added.
Referring to PM’s package they said it is unfortunate that Mr Shinde is denying the commitment of PM to displaced community announced way back in 2008 and demanded that the employment package be implemented in letter and spirit.
Addressing the protestors R K Bhat said its is a shame on Indian secularism, democracy and leadership that they could not restore Fundamental Rights of the community living a refugee life for over 23 years in their own country.
He, while warning GoI on such irresponsible statement asked it to clear its stand on the permanent rehabilitation of minority Pandits in Valley.
Bal Krishan Bhat, Manoj Handoo, Sunil Koul, Ajay Safaya, Sunil Dhar, Deepak Koul, Ajay Raina, D N Bhat, Sanjay Ganjoo and Vijay Riana were among the prominent YAIKS activists who participated in the protest.
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